Water tower location nixed: City will pursue locating it east of Infinity Building Services after JSDC board rejects plan

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The location of a planned water tower in south Jamestown is once again an unknown after the City Council tabled indefinitely a resolution to build the tower in the I-94 Business Park Addition during its regular meeting Monday.

“The executive board of the JSDC voted not to allow the location,” said Mayor Katie Andersen. “It is not the highest value use of that property.”

The I-94 Business Park Addition is owned by the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. The planned water tower would have used parts of three lots on the south end of the addition west of Infinity Building Service. The park contains 22 lots of which half are occupied at this time, said Connie Ova, CEO of JSDC.

“It would take up parts of three of the most buildable lots remaining,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of interest in lots in the industrial park.”

Andersen said the city will instead pursue locating the water tower on the east side of Infinity Building Service. The land is owned by the North Dakota State Hospital and leased to the National Buffalo Museum and used as part of its buffalo pasture. Purchasing the land would require action by the North Dakota Legislature. The concept of a long-term lease is under review by the State Hospital’s legal counsel.

The possible location change does not necessarily mean a delay in the water tower construction, said Travis Dillman, project engineer for Interstate Engineering.

“It all depends on how quickly the city and state can work things out,” he said. “The plan was always to bid the project in December with spring ground breaking. It is still realistic to have this done by fall or winter of 2013.”

In other business, the City Council denied an application submitted by William Mickelson to operate a taxi service in Jamestown due to information found during his criminal background check.

A Class C on-sale alcohol license was issued to Cork & Barrel, Inc. for 324 Second Ave. SW. Cork & Barrel will operate the bar at that location under contract to the Elks Club. A gaming license was issued to the North Dakota Buffalo Foundation for the same location.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, water