By Tim Binnall
Plans for a UFO-themed rebranding of an Illinois city's water tower have been met with resistance from the community's mayor. According to a local media report, the curious controversy came to light on Monday evening at a meeting of the Peru City Council during a discussion of the peculiar proposal that had passed the previous week. The clever concept, featured above in rough draft form, would see the water tower tank painted a dark color with the base being lighter and illuminated by LED spotlights to create the appearance of a tractor beam emanating from a flying saucer.
Sporting a logo declaring the location 'Area 251,' in recognition of a highway that passes through the city, the out-of-this-world water tower is intended to capture the interest of travelers with the hope that they will stop to patronize the city's retail shops and other attractions, including a planned sports complex. Alas, the concept was thrown into chaos this week when it was revealed that Peru's mayor, Ken Kolowski, was not a fan of the flying saucer. His disinclination was first expressed in a text to the city's alderman, Jason Edgcomb, wherein he brusquely wrote "we are not doing this."
Discussing the meaning of that message at Monday's city council meeting, Kolowski pushed back against what he characterized as a misinterpretation of his words. "No, I said we are not doing it at this time," the mayor said, before conceding "I'm just kind of uncomfortable with it. I personally don't like it." It is uncertain what impact Kolowski's misgivings might have on the future of the project which has seemingly been met with enthusiasm from city officials and residents. That said, the mayor ultimately argued that the public should have a greater voice in the decision since the flying saucer is "going to be up there for 30 or 40 years."