Beaver Creek City Council considers work on water tower

The water tower in Beaver Creek may be repainted next summer, and council members met Wednesday night with Chad Edwards of McGuire Iron to discuss details of the project.
According to information he pitched to the council, the 50,000-gallon tank exterior would be repainted in 2021 at a cost of roughly $64,000. Included in that cost would be safety upgrades and replacing a navigation light at the top.
Edwards said the interior of the tank will need to be sandblasted, repaired where needed and repainted in five years for an additional cost of roughly $50,000.
At first, work would focus on the exterior.
Edwards said he inspected the inside of the tank and noted discoloration from iron and manganese, but said there isn’t much sediment and it doesn’t appear there’s much rust or pitting.
“There’s definitely some issues going on, but we can get a few more years out of it,” Edwards said at the Aug. 12 meeting.
“You guys have done a good job, but it’s definitely time to do some work on it. … To replace a water tower is $800,000 to $1 million, so it’s worth it to do the maintenance.”
Following the 2021 exterior painting, it would be checked in 2022 for warranty touch-ups. In 2023 the interior will be cleaned and inspected, and in 2025 it can be drained and repainted.
The council noted that water service to residents would not be interrupted because the city has access to Rock County Rural Water.
With the interior and exterior work, Edwards said the waterpower would be good for decades to come. “I’ll be under dirt before you need to touch it again,” he said.
 
Splash pad nearing completion
The community splash pad in Beaver Creek is nearing completion and donations are coming in — $83,000 so far — to support the $195,000 project.
At their Wednesday night meeting, Beaver Creek City Council members reviewed construction progress, noting that the storage tank work has begun.
Concrete will be poured this week and the attachment toys are en route from the Canadian company and are expected to arrive Friday.
Council members reviewed verbiage for a “rules” sign and discussed a sign that would recognize donors who supported the project.
 
Street project to affect residential neighborhoods
Fourth Street and First Avenue (Main Street) are scheduled for construction this summer, and work is set to begin next week.
The Rock County Highway Department will improve the streets (a mill off and overlay), curb and gutter and sidewalks, and many residential driveways will be affected by the construction.
Council member Pat Bender suggested the city attempt to remind residents along the construction route.
“I’ve had people asking, ‘What’s with this paint on the sidewalks?’ and ‘What’s with the sticks in the ground?’” Bender said.
“They’re wondering how they’re going to access their houses and if they can use their driveways and how long it will take.”
Blank said she posted a notice in the city newsletter in April, but the council agreed another notice would be appropriate.
“The more information we can provide them, the better,” she said. “Some people might be planning a move. … Are they going to be able to get into their driveways or park a block away and walk in?”
Council member Alan Harnack pointed out that harvest will be started by the time the project is underway, and city maintenance supervisor Travis Helgeson said group shut-offs of utilities will also be necessary.