The water tower off of Fairfield Drive in Niles Township is about to get a major makeover.

On Monday, the Niles Township Board of Trustees voted 5 to 2 to have the tower painted in the maroon and gold colors of Brandywine Community Schools. The tower is located in the heart of the Brandywine district.

The paint job will include two images of the school district’s Bobcat mascot and the words “Home of Brandywine Bobcats,” on two sides.

Trustees Chris Vella and Dick Cooper voted against the paint scheme, not because they had a problem with the Brandywine theme, but because they wanted the words, “Niles Charter Township,” to appear somewhere on the water tower.

The current water tower is light blue with the words “Niles Township” painted in black on two sides.

“I love that — the Bobcats — but I have a problem that Niles Charter Township is not on here,” Vella said. “I think it needs to be.”

“I have no problem with Brandywine being on there and I have no problem with the Bobcat being on there, but I think it also should say Niles Charter Township,” Cooper said.

Supervisor Jim Stover said including “Niles Charter Township,” the Bobcat mascot and “Home of Brandywine Bobcats” would clutter up the tower.

Treasurer Jim Ringler agreed with Stover.

“Where are you going to put Niles Charter Township?” he said. “That’s a lot of words.”

Ringler said the board didn’t take the decision lightly since Niles Township as a whole includes three nearby school districts in Brandywine, Buchanan and Niles Community Schools.

However, the water tower is located inside the Brandywine district. It is the only water tower owned by the township.

Ringler said the water tower would be painted in late summer or early fall. The township is expected to send out requests for proposals soon for the project.

It will be paid for out of the township’s water fund, which is funded primarily by water users in the Brandywine district.

Also Monday, the township:

• Hired Barry Krueger as a utility technician for the department of public works.

• Accepted a piece of property near Fort Street from the City of Niles. The township plans to build a portion of the River Valley multiuse trail on the property.

• Granted a hardship request to property owners at 1608 Cedar Point Dr. The property owners will be allowed to temporarily place a travel trailer on the property while work is being done on their home. It is to be removed in six months or within five days after work is done.