Update on the Water Tower

The City of Barnard and the Kansas State Historical Society have entered the phase of signing off on the demolition of the historic water tower.  However, the firm that the city hired to do the work gave a cost estimate to preserve the water tower.

The cost that Schwab-Eaton gave to repair the water tower for use as a non-functioning landmark is $65,000.  There would be an additional cost of $2,500 per year to pay for maintenance every 10 years.  The city government doesn't even have to take part.

We could save our water tower, which is the only structure that keeps us from looking like every other town in the area, for only $65,000 initially with an additional investment of $2,500 per year?  Wow!  It sounds like a bargain to me in order to save our heritage.  There are grants that could take care of this cost.  Even if we only received a matching grant, it would only cost us $32,500.

I'll remember this when someday I have to answer a question about the water tower and send someone 80 miles away to Mahaska so they can see what we let go.  We could save it for $65,000.

By the way, the cost of the new one is over a quarter of a million dollars.  The absurdity of this situation...priceless.