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Former air base could become burdern for Blytheville
To the editor:
There exists an old saying that states, "Know you the truth and the truth will set you free." This letter is a question about the truth about BRGAA and its success or failure.
First, I spent 26 years working for the government at the former Eaker Air Force base as an engineer. This is mentioned to indicate that I may have more detailed information concerning this facility than the normal resident living in this area.
First, it should be stated that the free gift of approximately $300 million to this area was a heavenly gift and unheard of previously. Most military base closures were sold at market prices to the communities and cities where they were located. Blytheville was an isolated small rural Southern city, which was very poor. Consequently, it was determined that it would be proper to give the entire military installation to the city without any holds barred (what a blessing to this small poor community).
In this person's opinion, this $300 million gift will become a millstone around the neck of the citizens living in this community; with special emphasis on the citizens of Blytheville (the total base property is located in the city limits of Blytheville with the exception of the north 25 acres of housing. That equates to the fact that it will be the responsibility of the city of Blytheville to dispose of all of the dilapidated facilities, including cleaning up fuel spills and most likely removal of unground fuel pipe lines.
Should there be a BGRAA and a Westminster retirement village failure, the consequence would be that the property would revert to the city of Blytheville due to the fact that is presently is within the city limits. This fact could result in the city of Blytheville having a multi-million dollar debt placed on the citizens' shoulders without receiving one iota of a benefit.
As the present situation exists, it appears that both of the occupants of the former base facilities will fail in the near future. It is based on the fact that neither organization has sufficient revenue to even keep the facilities repaired and maintained. This is very obvious by just driving around the former base and viewing the destruction to very well-constructed and maintained facilities, which were in excellent condition when the base was transferred to BGAAA and the Westminster retirement village.
So as to illustrate the condition of the base facilities, in 1988, the Eaker Air Force was voted to be the No. 1 base out of a number of 18 bases in the SAC command. BGRAA made a survey recently of all of their facilities and many were condemned as non-repairable and many required major costly repair. About the time that the base was closed, there was $7.5 million spent on the base housing for modernizing and repair. By driving by the housing, it appears that approximately 400 or 500 of the housing unites are beyond repair.
The city of Blytheville has a vested interest in the outcome of these properties in that they are located within the city limits of Blytheville and at the end, it will be the city's responsibility to clean up this terrible mess.
Isn't is about time that the city get involved in the functions of BGRAA and Westminster retirement village before it gets too late?