City looks at giving water tower facelift

By LISA HOBBS / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

The downtown water tank towers above the McMinnville skyline and is a prominent fixture. With the new look of downtown, some city officials think it seems out of place. (Lisa Hobbs photo)

With the revitalization of downtown moving right along, the water tower located beside the Farmers Market is a looming reminder of a past that?s less than picture perfect.

?It?s the first thing I see when I come into town,? said Mayor Royce Davenport. ?I would like to fix it up a little bit, just so it will fit into the area better.?

That?s where the Utility Service Company, Inc. comes into the picture.

?We offer a full-service maintenance program,? said representative Shane Bell. ?We will fix the tank and conduct regular maintenance and routine inspections.?

A contract with USCI will include emergency maintenance.

?We will be 100 percent responsible for the tank,? said Bell. ?If there is an emergency, I will be here in 24 to 36 hours.?

Along with fixing the tank comes painting the tank.

?We could make it look like a tree,? said Davenport. ?This is the Nursery Capital of the World. I like a two-toned effect, like it?s water. It is a water tank after all.?

Bell handed out a pamphlet with several different design ideas that included a peach, spaceship, and the sky, as well as many other options.

?We also give emergency repair to remove graffiti,? said Bell. ?A contract with us will ensure the tank always looks good.?

For now, the company will inspect the water tank and determine annual cost of maintenance with a report by the end of April.

?The largest part will be the first year,? said Bell. ?That will include fixing the tank up. After that, it?s an annual contract that is automatically renewed unless you request otherwise.?

Utility Service Company, Inc. has been in business since 1963 and maintains thousands of elevated tanks coast to coast.