Pender County declines to approve new Tops tank logo; painting will proceed under maintenance contract

Pender County commissioners considered four logo designs and associated costs to refresh the Tops elevated water tank but took no action after a motion to adopt one option failed for lack of a second.

Brian Terry, the county's water and sewer superintendent, said routine painting of the tank is covered by a 10-year maintenance contract signed in 2023 and is scheduled as part of the vendor's rotation. The board was being asked only to authorize additional funds to add a new logo or artwork to the tower exterior; staff presented four recommended options with costs ranging from $28,000 to $32,782.

Option 1 (turtle with "Pender County") was listed at $30,250; Option 3 (turtle with "Tops") at $28,000; Option 5 (county seal with "Pender County") at $32,782; and Option 6 (county seal with "Tops") at $31,729. Terry said the extra cost is for complexity, colors and lettering, and that painting of the tower will take place regardless of a logo decision.

Commissioners asked whether the money would come from general taxes; staff explained the expense would come from the utility enterprise fund and not the property-tax levy. Several commissioners said they supported a standardized county seal but one commissioner said the cost was an unnecessary luxury and would not support spending that level of funds even from the enterprise fund. A motion to approve Option 5 was made but died for lack of a second, and no alternate motion passed; the board took no action. The tower will be repainted per the maintenance contract with existing exterior color and logo unless a future board authorizes a new design.

What happens next: painting under the maintenance contract will proceed; staff indicated the logo question could be brought back for future action if the board chooses to appropriate enterprise funds for a new design.