The old Tipton water tower will be coming down.

A bid of $19,870 was accepted by the Tipton city council Dec. 17 from Iseler Demolition, Inc. of Romeo, Michigan to remove the tower.

The only other bid was from ABC Crane Co. for $20,535.

The bids, which were opened at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, were significantly lower than expected. The estimate for the project was $43,000.

City Manger Doug Boldt said the low bids were the result of high prices being paid for scrap metal, which the demolition company will collect.

When work begins, it is expected the tower will be brought down in a period of just 2 to 3 days.

“It will be a lot quicker going down than going up,” said Engineer Mark Fincel of Garden and Associates, Oskaloosa.

Iseler Demolition has been granted a delay to May 15, 2008 to begin the demolition work, so that final work can be completed on the new tower.

In a related matter, the council approved payment No. 9 to Maguire Iron, Inc. for $16,150 for work on the new tower.

The total cost of the new tower is $924,450 and the amount paid so far is $844,217.50, leaving $44,432.50 in retainage.

Maguire will return in the spring to complete painting on the tower that it was unable to finish late this fall.

In a memo to the city manager from the city engineer, Mark Fincel said he had been “assured by Maguire that they will precede with the painting of the new tower, including washing of the exterior and other surface preparation activities needed, as soon as weather permits in 2008. We understand the remaining work is estimated to last approximately 10 days.

“The contract documents required the project to be fully completed and ready for operation on or before November 30, 2007.”

Since the project was not fully completed by that date, the city will be seeking compensation, with contract issues to be resolved in the spring.

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