UPDATE

On September 10, 2024, CORE officially closed on the purchase of the water tower for the price of $1! However, total costs of the efforts to save the water tower, such as legal fees, engineering reports, property survey, and the yard signs, amounted to about $8350. We are currently seeking grant opportunities to cover some or all of our upcoming expenses to restore the tower and paint a mural attraction on it and supplement our existing funds, but we are also seeking donations to cover the costs incurred to save the water tower and have increased the goal of our GoFundMe to reflect the final tally.

Hello friends and neighbors! As you may know, CORE of McLean has been working tirelessly in our effort to save and restore the old McLean water tower. While we have raised funds to complete the restoration project and the proposed mural, we are starting to incur additional, unexpected expenses in our campaign. So far, we’ve had approximately $5,000 of unanticipated fees between the money paid to the engineer to perform the structural study and attend a village board meeting, fees that have already been paid to our attorney and their fees for upcoming negotiation work, property survey costs, as well as money used to purchase the yard signs distributed to raise awareness. If negotiations with the village to purchase the tower become extensive, these unexpected expenses will rise even further.

We are asking our supporters, friends, and neighbors who want to save the old water tower to help us in this initiative by providing monetary support to continue this project. If we raise over the proposed $5,000 to cover the fees mentioned above, any additional funds raised would be used to complete the water tower restoration and mural. If the water tower restoration project does not become viable (if we ultimately are unable to complete negotiations with the Village Board and cannot continue the project), any additional funds raised beyond the $5,000 to cover current water tower project expenses will be used for other community events and initiatives including, but not limited to, the 6.6 run/walk, the annual chili cookoff, and the community garden.

Any amount you are willing to contribute is greatly appreciated. If you are unable to contribute money at this time, please share our request with your friends and family. That would mean so much to us as well!