West Ward a good buy for the city

"How many times are we going to buy that building?" was one wag's assessment of the city's decision to purchase the old West Ward Elementary.

Actually, the taxpayers have bought the building only once, when it was built as an educational facility. District 17 taxpayers got their money out of the structure over the 78 years it was used as a school.

In hind sight, it would have been a good idea for the school to simply give the building to the city, which is in dire need of parking for Memorial Auditorium, not to mention handicap-accessible meeting space for the City Council.

The thinking at the time, however, and we agree, was that it was better to get the property back into private hands and on the tax rolls if possible.

That wasn't to be, however.

First, D. Jon Morrison purchased the building from the McCook Public Schools for $65,000.

Then, he offered to sell it to the city and Red Willow County for $50,000, with the stipulation that the building be named after his father, former Nebraska Gov. Frank B. Morrison.

The deal fell apart, and probably took plans for a joint city-county public safety center and jail with it.

Morrison then sold the building to a Colorado man for $130,000, who then tried to get the Red Willow County commissioners to increase the property tax valuation to $385,000.

No dice, said the commissioners, and the state tax equalization board went along with them.

Morrison got the building back when the Colorado owner defaulted on payments.

So now, city taxpayers will be paying $100,000 for the property, which they could have shared with the county for $50,000, or even, conceivably, obtained for nothing, if the right telephone calls had been made.

But we can't undo the past, and must continue from where we are now.

For now, West Ward is a good investment for the City of McCook.