ALLENTOWN – A project that was supposed to include painting the exterior of Allentown’s water storage tank has stalled because a private company has not moved its equipment off the structure, according to municipal officials.
In the face of the ongoing delay, Borough Council members voted to authorize the borough attorney to file a motion against T-Mobile in response to the company’s inaction during the water storage tank improvement project.
According to a resolution, the borough performed repairs to the water storage tank in 2019. In planning the project, Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts and Borough Attorney Greg Cannon reached out to representatives of T-Mobile to ask them to move the company’s cellular equipment from the structure for the duration of the project.
Officials said the request to move the equipment was allowed under the terms of the firm’s lease for space on the water storage tank.
T-Mobile did not remove its equipment as requested and the borough was unable to finish improvements to the water storage tank in 2019 as desired and will have to attempt to complete the project in the spring of 2020, according to the resolution.
As a result, Allentown will incur additional costs caused by the inaction of T-Mobile, according to the resolution. Cannon has been directed to file a motion in court against the company for not removing its equipment so the exterior of the water storage tank may be painted as planned.
In May, the council awarded a contract for improvements to the water storage tank to Guimar General Contractor, which was the low bidder at $428,000.
In discussing the project, Roberts said Allentown officials had a tank inspection specialist inspect the interior and exterior of the water storage tank in 2016.
She said a subsequent report contained recommendations to sand blast and repaint the interior of the tank, and to high-pressure wash and repaint the exterior of the tank.
Roberts said the improvements “are needed to maintain good water quality as well as the structural integrity of the steel tank. The project will prepare and repaint both the interior and exterior.”
She said several other improvements would be part of the work, including a new mixer in the tank which would also help water quality, a new staircase to the top of the tank and new railings.
Roberts said the work was being funded by a low-interest loan Allentown obtained through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank.