Board reviews options after lightning damages water tower equipment

Trustees reviewed recent service work after a lightning strike damaged components in the village water tower system. Officials said a contractor replaced a transducer and identified a separate power-supply failure in the auto-dialer; one transducer part currently appears to be unavailable and suppliers are seeking alternatives.

"They replaced something in the water tower...we have another lightning strike and it took it out," the chair explained to colleagues while discussing vendor follow-up. Board members said they had contacted multiple contractors, including firms identified as Craig and Hydrokinetics (distributor), and expected written estimates by the end of the week.

Members debated the merits of cell-based auto-dialers versus hard lines and cautioned about mixing different vendors' proprietary systems, which could complicate future maintenance. Trustees also discussed seeking insurance reimbursement for parts and aligning vendor choices so future sewer and water upgrades integrate properly.

No final purchase decision was made; trustees directed staff to obtain written bids, compare compatibility across systems, and return with recommendations at a future meeting.