City moves forward with water tower painting project

The City of Maple Lake will be moving forward with a project to paint the city water tower in 2011.

At its meeting on December 21, the Maple Lake City Council approved a contract with Utility Service Company that will not only paint the water tower, but also provide for continued maintenance. 

As she had at previous meetings, City Attorney Rhonda Pagel once again cautioned that although additional specifications had been added to the contract with Utility Service Company, it remained a very simple contract. She said if the city canceled the contract in the first three years, it would get what it paid for in the painting project. But over future years, the city will be paying in advance for the next painting project and if the contract is cancelled, those advance payments could be lost. 

“It comes down to whether you trust this company,” Pagel said.

Council member Deb Geyen said the simple contract should be a red flag to the city, but Mayor Mike O’Loughlin said the simple contract allows the company to change specifications due to updated technology. 

The City of Maple Lake will be moving forward with a project to paint the city water tower in 2011.

At its meeting on December 21, the Maple Lake City Council approved a contract with Utility Service Company that will not only paint the water tower, but also provide for continued maintenance. 

As she had at previous meetings, City Attorney Rhonda Pagel once again cautioned that although additional specifications had been added to the contract with Utility Service Company, it remained a very simple contract. She said if the city canceled the contract in the first three years, it would get what it paid for in the painting project. But over future years, the city will be paying in advance for the next painting project and if the contract is cancelled, those advance payments could be lost. 

“It comes down to whether you trust this company,” Pagel said.

Council member Deb Geyen said the simple contract should be a red flag to the city, but Mayor Mike O’Loughlin said the simple contract allows the company to change specifications due to updated technology. 
More information appears in this week’s Messenger.