But before the council puts the issue to an actual vote, town staff will conduct a noise test and seek input from residents about having a bell near their homes ring at noon each day.

The bell and bell tower were removed from the Town Plaza during renovation of the area last year and put in storage at the town's corporation yard, despite adamant opposition by some residents that the bell remain at the plaza. In response, the historic preservation committee began seeking alternate sites near the plaza to place the bell.

At its last meeting, the town council reached a consensus that the century-old fire bell should be displayed at the museum on Tait Avenue—former site of the town's first fire station—if town staff learns that neighbors are fine with the arrangement.

"Everything leads to this as the obvious outcome. I thank the museum for being at the right place at the right time," Councilman Joe Pirzynski said at the meeting.

St. Mary's Church, which is down the street from the museum, tested out its bell chimes a couple years back. After they were ringing for about an hour, a neighbor phoned in to complain, said Carolee Gannon, parish secretary for the church.

Early estimates for a bell tower to be added to the existing museum on Tait Avenue answers to the tune of $55,000. If the town decides to use the existing chiming mechanism, a 10-foot hole must be excavated inside the tower to accommodate the chiming rods.

To avoid this, the council is considering using a solenoid chiming mechanism, which would electronically strike the bell. This approach would reduce maintenance costs and allow public access inside the tower, which could be transformed into an information center.

While all five council members agreed to the recommendation by town staff to locate the bell at the Tait museum, Councilwoman Diane McNutt suggested they also consider placing the historic object at the civic center because it's "appropriate" for it to be "at the heart of town government."

Last summer, before being elected into office, Councilman Mike Wasserman said he preferred the civic center to be the new home for the bell because it has more prominence than the museum. Since then, he said, he has learned that the museum is developing a new historic walking tour to draw people to the site.

Though he still believes the civic center would provide greater visibility, he said he is now concerned that the bell would have to be moved again if the town goes forward with plans to remodel the civic center and library in the future.

Whether the bell is placed at the Tait museum or the civic center—so long as it is "at a place of respect"—Wasserman said the most important thing is to get the bell "out of storage and back on display for public enjoyment."

Reasons cited by the historic preservation committee for placing the bell at the Tait museum include the historic connection with the former fire station, the ability to incorporate the site with historic tours and its close proximity to the downtown area.

The bell was in operation from 1899 to the mid-'30s where the Tait museum stands today and was used to summon the volunteer fire department. The bell was removed and sold to a restaurant owner in Lodi, Calif., in 1947.

When former Los Gatos resident Andy Kinyan purchased it back for the town as a centennial gift in 1986, he specified that the town should build a commemorative tower for it, that the bell be sounded at noon each day and on special occasions and that it be prominently displayed.