Government should try to be more frugal

The proposed new airport terminal in Monticello is a perfect example of government waste at the local level. It was originally designed to be a free-standing building, at an estimated cost of $400,000.

In the planning process, the airport board decided to connect the terminal to the fixed-base operations building, owned by Paul Elmgreen. The proposal would require the city to purchase that building at a cost, including renovation, estimated at $220,000. To pay for it, the city would be applying for a state infrastructure grant.

With design changes and combining the two buildings, this proposed project went from $400,000 to an almost

$1 million. One city council member, Dave Goedken, questioned the cost and some of the design features, including the roof system he believes has high potential for leaks and high maintenance costs, as well as a heating system to melt snow and ice on the roof.

Last-minute roof design changes were proposed, but the airport board liked the original design and wanted something special, not simple, for Monticello. When Goedken questioned the project's higher cost and high maintenance, the board's reply was that the project is a “no-brainer” because the government is paying for 95 percent of the cost.

This project seems to be designed as if money is not an object. Spending tax dollars in this manner is what has created the federal deficit.

Marvin Wink

Monticello