Just as there is no such thing as a free lunch, Carroll's commissioners are learning there is no such thing as a free building.
The recently announced $3.5 million cost of moving and rehabilitating supposedly "free" portable units from Martin Marietta Corp. should end all discussion about using these structures to house county government offices.
When this idea surfaced two years ago, the commissioners mistakenly convinced themselves that they were saving money, at least in the short run. Instead of investing in new construction to house the county's health or education departments, the commissioners reasoned that they could recycle these portables and save big money for taxpayers.
Alas, that was before the bid for preparing the portables came in at $1 million more than the estimate. Even before that, the idea made no sense. The supposed short-range savings never existed.
If the commissioners proceeded with this project for the health department, they would spend about $95 a square foot for the space -- a great deal to pay for rehabilitating an existing structure. New office construction runs from $90 to $120 a square foot, depending on amenities. For about the cost of preparing these well-worn portables for occupancy, the county could erect a new building designed to its specifications.
When portables were first suggested as a solution to the county's office needs, we argued it was a bad idea. The 30-year-old units are at the end of their useful lives. Why else would Martin Marietta give them away?
The new board of commissioners now sees the high cost of converting these portables as a problem. Unfortunately, the county frittered away valuable time that could have been used to plan, design and build the office space it will continue to require.
The county will have to house a health department as long as county government exists. Greater social service responsibilities are flowing from Washington to the local level, not the other way around.
The county might as well accept the fact that it will have to put up its own building or lease appropriate space from a private developer. Trying to reduce the cost of rehabilitating these portables would be an exercise in self-delusion.