Opinion

Air Base offer

Tuesday, December 31, 2002

Dear Editor,

Dear friends and potential buyers of the McCook Army Air Base. A committee of volunteers is dedicated to preserving the McCook Army Air Base. The society was incorporated in June 1987 and in 1991 received non-profit status. Since that time, we have acquired a highway marker, established the Veterans Memorial Garden, erected a barracks building and listed the Norden Bomb Site Vault on the National Historic Registry. Annual reunions and open houses allow the public to view this historic site and extensive World War II memorabilia. The society works on various projects and are available to give tours of the facilities.

The Air Base Society has been working on buying the water tower barracks area since 1992. Their goal was to have this purchase accomplished by 2003, the time of the 60th anniversary of the air base. (See McCook Daily Gazette 2-3-99 and Air Base newsletters).

If the society acquires land at the sale, it would be willing to negotiate a longer time for free storage of the present crushed concrete, instead of the three months states. Tracts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are valued the same to the society regardless of what is on the property. The Historical Society is willing to bid the highest possible bid for the taxpayer's best interest. They are hoping if buyers are bidding on combination tracts or total tracts, they are still able to bid on single tracts before the auction closes. This would give buyers the opportunity to donate land or donate land for a tax-free donation.

Any more destruction of concrete apron would divert water tot he building areas. The McCook Army Air Base Historical Society is willing to work with the owners of the property surrounding the building area to maintain the present water drainage ditches and culverts which diverts water away from the buildings and concrete. They are also willing to work together with any environmental concerns.

All funds for purchase and restoration of the air base by the McCook Army Air Base Historical Society will be private funds. They will not be asking for taxpayer dollars.

Regardless of the outcome of the auction on Jan. 8, together we can preserve McCook Army Air Base. McCook Army Air Base Historical Society will continue fundraising to purchase or lease property, work to preserve the memorabilia and prevent the destruction of this historic site.