MONROE - After being rescued from destruction in 2005, the 121-year-old Lincoln Park Water Tower is back as a topic of discussion by the City of Monroe.
This time, the Green County Historical Society is asking the city to pick up a major portion of the cost to repaint the historical water tower's steel tank.
At a meeting April 7, members of the city's Finance and Taxation Committee debated the pros and cons of spending between $15,000 and $21,500 for the project.
The group had raised more than $10,000 specifically for the tower restorationand has donated time, labor and materials restoring the landmark, according to Green County Historical Society President John Glynn and his wife, Donna Glynn, also a historical society member. But, the painting costs were beyond their budget.
Water Utility Supervisor Mike Kennison supplied two quotes for the project. Central Tank Coatings offered a paint job with a six-year life expectancy for $15,000, and Lane Tank Company offered a paint job with an epoxy sealer, which has a 12-year life expectancy for $21,500.
The Green County Historical Society had offered $7,500 to help cover the costs.
But when committee members felt the more expensive job quote would be a better value, Donna Glynn said the society would contribute the remainder of its bank balance, for a total of $8,296 toward the cost.
However, controversy arose when some aldermen at the committee meeting balked at spending money that was not budgeted for 2010.
"I can't approve of putting money into it when we have so many other things," said Paul Hannes, Ward 2 alderman.
He also pointed to the minutes of a March 2005 meeting of the Board of Public Works. At that time the Historical Society was given the responsibility to maintain the tower, he said.
The committee sent the issue to the Common Council April 7 without a recommendation to approve spending the money, but did specify that Lane Tank Company should be hired if the city does approve the expense.
The Common Council is expected to discuss the issue May 4.
The Lincoln Park Water Tower was placed on the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places in July 2005 and on the National Register of Historic Places Nov. 15, 2005.
Prior to the registry listings, the city had discussed options for building a new water tower in Lincoln Park, to meet state requirements for water storage available during power outages. Among the options was one that required the old water tower be torn down to make room for a new one, a plan the Green County Historical Society disapproved of.
But the Department of Natural Resources informed the city in May 2005 that adding two emergency power generators at the city wells would eliminate the need for additional elevated storage.
In a letter to the Board of Public Works June 3, 2005, Kennison explained installing the generators would save the city about $500,000 over the cost of constructing a new tower.
The city's change of plans eased the way for the Green County Historical Society to save the old tower.
The water tower was listed on the national register for its architectural significance, as a fine example of late 19th Century water tower construction in Wisconsin. It also was listed as a site representing historical significance in community planning and development, demonstrating an era in which local government began discussing its role in providing public service utilities.
The tower began being used in May 1889, with 6 miles of water mains. It was finished and ready for testing Jan. 1, 1890.
The original wooden tank held 100,000 gallons of water. In 1914, the tank was replaced with a then modern, 125,000-gallon capacity steel tank.
The water tower was taken out of operation in 1993, when the tank began to leak and could not be repaired.
The bricks inside tower look surprisingly new, the Glynns said. The walls are 18-inches thick, and no structural damage has been identified.
The historical society's goal is to show the inside of the tower to the public, to showcase the spiral staircase and describe to school children the workings of a water tower and the role it plays in a community, Donna Glynn said.
After taking over maintenance in 2005, the Green County Historical Society repaired the cement skirt at the base of the tower. Interlocking wood components were fashioned to replace rotted elements in the porthole windows, and new wire and glass were installed on the windows to keep birds out. A new door, patterned after the old one, was produced. Albert Deppler donated all of the lumber needed for repairs.
The color of the old mortar was matched and tuck pointing, filling the spaces between the bricks, was done. Pete and Pat Davis of Davis Welding Inc., provided a hand rail and, along with Irv Bartels and Jerry Von Kaenel, installed the rail free of charge.
Nate Roth, Dennis Stuckey of Stuckey Construction, Dennis Oostdik of Ostdyke Design, Stewart Strait and John Glynn headed up much of the restoration projects.
This time, the Green County Historical Society is asking the city to pick up a major portion of the cost to repaint the historical water tower's steel tank.
At a meeting April 7, members of the city's Finance and Taxation Committee debated the pros and cons of spending between $15,000 and $21,500 for the project.
The group had raised more than $10,000 specifically for the tower restorationand has donated time, labor and materials restoring the landmark, according to Green County Historical Society President John Glynn and his wife, Donna Glynn, also a historical society member. But, the painting costs were beyond their budget.
Water Utility Supervisor Mike Kennison supplied two quotes for the project. Central Tank Coatings offered a paint job with a six-year life expectancy for $15,000, and Lane Tank Company offered a paint job with an epoxy sealer, which has a 12-year life expectancy for $21,500.
The Green County Historical Society had offered $7,500 to help cover the costs.
But when committee members felt the more expensive job quote would be a better value, Donna Glynn said the society would contribute the remainder of its bank balance, for a total of $8,296 toward the cost.
However, controversy arose when some aldermen at the committee meeting balked at spending money that was not budgeted for 2010.
"I can't approve of putting money into it when we have so many other things," said Paul Hannes, Ward 2 alderman.
He also pointed to the minutes of a March 2005 meeting of the Board of Public Works. At that time the Historical Society was given the responsibility to maintain the tower, he said.
The committee sent the issue to the Common Council April 7 without a recommendation to approve spending the money, but did specify that Lane Tank Company should be hired if the city does approve the expense.
The Common Council is expected to discuss the issue May 4.
The Lincoln Park Water Tower was placed on the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places in July 2005 and on the National Register of Historic Places Nov. 15, 2005.
Prior to the registry listings, the city had discussed options for building a new water tower in Lincoln Park, to meet state requirements for water storage available during power outages. Among the options was one that required the old water tower be torn down to make room for a new one, a plan the Green County Historical Society disapproved of.
But the Department of Natural Resources informed the city in May 2005 that adding two emergency power generators at the city wells would eliminate the need for additional elevated storage.
In a letter to the Board of Public Works June 3, 2005, Kennison explained installing the generators would save the city about $500,000 over the cost of constructing a new tower.
The city's change of plans eased the way for the Green County Historical Society to save the old tower.
The water tower was listed on the national register for its architectural significance, as a fine example of late 19th Century water tower construction in Wisconsin. It also was listed as a site representing historical significance in community planning and development, demonstrating an era in which local government began discussing its role in providing public service utilities.
The tower began being used in May 1889, with 6 miles of water mains. It was finished and ready for testing Jan. 1, 1890.
The original wooden tank held 100,000 gallons of water. In 1914, the tank was replaced with a then modern, 125,000-gallon capacity steel tank.
The water tower was taken out of operation in 1993, when the tank began to leak and could not be repaired.
The bricks inside tower look surprisingly new, the Glynns said. The walls are 18-inches thick, and no structural damage has been identified.
The historical society's goal is to show the inside of the tower to the public, to showcase the spiral staircase and describe to school children the workings of a water tower and the role it plays in a community, Donna Glynn said.
After taking over maintenance in 2005, the Green County Historical Society repaired the cement skirt at the base of the tower. Interlocking wood components were fashioned to replace rotted elements in the porthole windows, and new wire and glass were installed on the windows to keep birds out. A new door, patterned after the old one, was produced. Albert Deppler donated all of the lumber needed for repairs.
The color of the old mortar was matched and tuck pointing, filling the spaces between the bricks, was done. Pete and Pat Davis of Davis Welding Inc., provided a hand rail and, along with Irv Bartels and Jerry Von Kaenel, installed the rail free of charge.
Nate Roth, Dennis Stuckey of Stuckey Construction, Dennis Oostdik of Ostdyke Design, Stewart Strait and John Glynn headed up much of the restoration projects.