The historic hose tower on the Ishpeming Fire Department building along South Lake Street is shown. City officials are working to determine whether there is a legal remedy against the brick manufacturer, the engineer or the contractor involved in the 2002 project to rebuild the hose tower. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

ISHPEMING — The Ishpeming City Council is asking the city manager and newly hired city attorney to take a second look at the historic hose tower on the Ishpeming Fire Department building.

Ishpeming City Manager Craig Cugini will work with City Attorney Carolyn Bridges to determine whether there is a legal remedy against the brick manufacturer, the engineer or the contractor involved in the 2002 project to rebuild the hose tower.

During a November meeting, the council unanimously approved a $10,000 expenditure to stabilize the upper area of the hose tower with netting after it was determined that pieces of brick falling from the structure pose a threat to public safety.

The century-old building houses the city’s fire and police departments.

Cugini said he is willing to take direction from the council on where to go from this point.

“We have a fire tower that has a top that is crumbling,” Cugini told the council. “It has been noted that from the prior construction that there is no recourse to go after a company that delivered on a tower that is now crumbling. The question is, what do you want to do about it?”

He said he suspects the top of the hose tower is a historic feature and that the State Historic Preservation Office or the U.S. Department of Agriculture may want to weigh in on the matter.

“So what do you do? Do you cap it? Do you rebuild what’s there? Do you pursue a legal option? I want to know what council wants me to do about the fire tower,” Cugini said. “We have approximately $55,000 in loan money left to repay on that tower.”

City Councilor Stu Skauge said he wanted to see what the reductions in state revenue sharing would be as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t want to spend a lot of money on that tower right now, even if they take it off,” Skauge said.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net