The Bremen Town Council members approved a motion Monday afternoon that would give the town’s engineering firm, Jones Petrie and Rafinski (JPR), permission to apply for a grant that would help stabilize the town’s historic standpipe.
Ken Jones said his firm has found a grant that would help fund phases one and two of preservation work to help stabilize the iconic structure. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Historical and Archaeological Department has matching grant funds available up to $75,000 for this type of work. The town would need to find $75,000 for a match. The first phase includes a complete evaluation as to how storm water is entering the facility causing damage, and to do the restoration and preservation planning which involves engineering work and plan preparation. The second phase would involve stabilizing the interior of the structure to prepare it for outside brick replacement, tuckpointing, painting, and rust removal. All of that work in the first two phases would cost $150,000 which would work toward the overall total estimated restoration cost of $440,000.
The grant application is due Monday, September 30.
He noted that officials from this particular division of the Department of Natural Resources know of the standpipe as it is only one of two still standing in the Midwest and they would support the restoration of the structure.
Jones stated that with JPR’s relationship with the town, along with the honor and privilege in working with the preservation of this historic standpipe, the company would donate $25,000 of in-kind planning and engineering work toward the grant application which leaves $50,000 that the town would need to put forth toward the match.
Although the standpipe is not in immediate danger of collapse, Jones commented that time is of the essence as the town needs to start the process of restoration as there is storm water that is causing damage to the standpipe.
The council members discussed using $50,000 from the Tourism Fund and they unanimously agreed to seek the matching grant with those funds by action of a motion.
Letters of support from the community are requested. Those letters need to be turned into the Clerk’s Office by Friday, September 27.
Other funds are needed to help restore the standpipe and the council will be seeking other community donations and funding to complete funding for the entire project.
