No Germantown Water Tower

If the City were to move forward with this elevated tower project, maybe it could adopt Joe Diffie's 1993 hit as the City anthem.

"They were farm kids way down in Dixie
Met in high school in the sixties
Everyone knew it was love from the start
One July in the midnight hour
He climbed upon the water tower
Stood on the rail and painted a 10ft heart
In John Deere Green

On a hot summer night
He wrote Billy Bob loves Charlene
In letters 3 foot high
And the whole town said that he should have used red
But it looked good to Charlene
In John Deere Green"

Just imagine . . .

Germantown could be a 'happy' place to live
Just think, if our Public Service department moves forward with this elevated tower project (which our citizens are demanding they do not) Germantown could be Tennesse's first and only city to join the Smiley Face water towers club. These towers can be found from Atlantic coast towns clear out to the Great Plains.

or Germantown could join the Decorated Water Towers club . . .
. . . and the City could have a fund-raising contest to decide what to showcase. Here's the world's largest ketchup bottle in Collinsville, IL

Or we could add ours to Trucker Mike's collection http://www.mikiemetric.cc/WaterTowers.html
by the way, notice anything consistent about the towers in these photos? They all appear to be in commercial or rural settings not in high density residential neighborhoods.

Call and email your Germantown Mayor and Alderman and voice your opposition !

If you are concerned about the City's proposal for this 180 foot Elevated Tower, contact your Mayor and Aldermen.

Mayor Goldsworthy and Aldermen Drinnon and Palozzolo attended the Jan-30 Information meeting and heard first hand from about 45 citizens - none of who were in favor of the Elevated Tower. Alderman Drinnon also committed to those attending the meeting that he fully supported consideration of more viable alternatives. We must let the other Alderman know what the citizens expect of them on this issue - Phone or Email them at the contacts listed here.

Mayor and Aldermen
Sharon Goldsworthy, Mayor
mayor@ci.germantown.tn.us
757-7252

Ernest Chism, Alderman
Ernest.Chism@ci.germantown.tn.us
737-2146

John Drinnon, Alderman
John.Drinnon@ci.germantown.tn.us
754-4133

Carole Hinely, Alderman
Carole.Hinely@ci.germantown.tn.us
755-4861

Mike Palazzolo, Alderman
Mike.Palazzolo@ci.germantown.tn.us
755-5007

Frank Uhlhorn, Alderman
Frank.Uhlhorn@ci.germantown.tn.us
755-4630

Tuesday afternoon, the City posted on its website the presentation from Monday night's informational.

It can be viewed directly at this link http://www.ci.germantown.tn.us/water_tank.pdf

This material covers the background and need for additional water volume and pressure, includes a very brief ( and I believe inadequate) summary of above vs below ground alternatives, location plan and COLOR PICTURES of the proposed tank from multiple views in the surrounding neighborhoods - including
- Devonshire Way
- Fox Hill Circle
- Forest Hill Lane
- Poplar Ave (Fillin' Station)
- Johnson Road Park
- Poplar Grace Lane
- Oakhurst Cove

The City is pushing forward with the project schedule and intends to bid and award the construction contract in May-June 2006 and commence construction in July 2006.

Local citizens opposed to this schedule and proposed elevated solution are organizing in Committee to compel the City to conduct an independent study and more fully consider viable state-of-the-art ground level pumping stations. For additional details and updates visit http://gtownfreepress.typepad.com/watertower/ or email: watertowerlawsuit@yahoo.com

An informational meeting was held Jan-30 at Germantown Baptist Church to review the city's already approved elevated water tower project planned for Johnson Road Park. The planned tower will be adjacent to the existing water treatment plant near the northeast edge of the soccer fields. Current plans call for the tower to be 180 feet high (about the same hieght as the GBC steeple) and have a base of 50 feet in diameter. About 45 people attended tonight's session and no one spoke in favor of an elevated tower to address the city's water volume and pressure challenges. Bo Mills, city Director of Public Services, and Patrick Lawton, city adminstrator, committed to posting tonight's presentation and additional study details on the city's website on Tue-Jan-31. Also attending tonight's meeting were Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy and Aldermen John Drinnon and Mike Palazzolo.

One resident videotaped portions of the meeting and is posting additional information here :
http://gtownfreepress.typepad.com/watertower/