The problem: What use for old property

While community boosters take great pride in the growth which has taken place in McCook in the past decade, there is another side to change that the town's decision-makers need to address.

The challenge is this: What should be done with the buildings and prime real estate locations that have been abandoned by governmental bodies and commercial interests?

Examples abound throughout the town. Most recently -- when McCook's ward schools were consolidated into two locations -- the West Ward building and square block of land became unused, and conceivably, available for other purposes.

Of more long-standing, the large open space between the Wal-Mart Super Center and the Southwest Implement dealership is vacant, no longer used as a landfill.

What could be and can be done with these two locations? Other questions about land and facility use are arising. A few miles down the road to the east, patrons of the consolidated Twin Valley-Republican Valley school districts face a decision about what to do with the old school building once it is vacated and students transferred to other attendance centers.

The danger, for the community and citizens, is that the abandoned sites will be forgotten and allowed to deteriorate.

No good will be served by this, as anyone who lives in a neighborhood with an uninhabited, dilapidated house will tell you. Bad goes to worse ... quickly.

As part of their responsibility, the members of school, village and city boards need to address the issue of unused facilities, specifically focusing upon ways to utilize the idle properties.

This may necessitate a sale to private business or another governmental body. If that's the best solution, go for it. But don't ignore the problem, allowing unused property to further deteriorate.

Abandoned business properties are a harder problem to solve because -- short of condemnation -- public boards don't have control; the business owners do.

But, at a fair price, most business owners are eager to sell. To that end, the McCook Chamber of Commerce, the McCook Economic Development Corp., real estate agents and Main Street interests would be wise to help with efforts to get the vacant buildings occupied.

One thing's for sure. The worse thing the community can do is ignore the problem of abandoned buildings. Elected leaders -- along with key community groups -- need to focus attention on the problem, and lead the search for solutions. If they don't, abandoned buildings will continue to deteriorate, dragging the community's image down with them.