Port Fire Ladder to Act as Tower Demo

A Port Washington fire truck will make its way up to on Saturday, but not because there's any chance of fire.

Instead, city officials have asked the Fire Department to drive up to the park and raise its ladder — 80 feet.

Why?

The ladder will represent the height of a proposed observation tower that a Port Washington group, who calls themselves the Friends of the Tower, hope to donate to the city. The project would cost about $300,000 to $500,000 and would hopefully be completed in the next couple years, according to the Ozaukee Press.

A showed about 38 percent of readers support the tower, while 48 percent say they don't want it here; another 12 percent were undecided. (Poll results as of 4:15 p.m. Jan. 4)

City officials remain a bit torn on whether the tower should be accepted. The Port Washington Plan Commission recommended approval of the , and the Common Council was set to discuss the new addition until Mayor Scott Huebner said more research needed to be done before a decision could be made, according to the Ozaukee Press.

Some issues that require more research include maintenance costs, insurance costs, liability issues and the design of the structure itself, City Administrator Mark Grams said. 

Trees in Upper Lake Park reach between 60 and 80 feet, so the tower would need to be above the trees for viewing purposes, according to Randy Tetzlaff, director of planning and development for Port. Some are concerned about the projected height of the tower, which is what sparked Saturday's event.

The fire truck is planned to be in Upper Lake Park at noon. Step outside and get a glimpse, and let Patch know what you think in the comments below.

The tower cannot be built until it recieves approval from the Port Washington Common Council.