Make do with less, forest district

Spring is here. What a wonderful time to take a quiet walk in one of DuPage County's forest preserves. If you like taking a peaceful walk in McKee Marsh, this may be your last spring to do it. Next year, you may need a hard hat, respirator and ear protection. This fall, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District will begin construction of a 3-story, 28,500-square-foot monster garage to service the excessive amount of cars, trucks and equipment they've spent your money on. They describe this corrugated metal monster as a "state-of-the-art" facility. This $7.5 million dollar industrial structure will include 20 bays, a paint booth and body shop. Picture seven oil change shops all in a row and you get the idea. By their own account, the fleet has grown 30 percent during the past 10 years. The forest preserve has amassed 173 over-the-road vehicles, 77 flat bed trailers and 1,319 other pieces of equipment. That's one over-the-road vehicle for every other full-time employee. Why so many, you ask? So did I, at a recent open house on the "monster garage," and the question was met with blank stares from forest preserve representatives. The only response they eventually offered was an acknowledgment that the forest preserve receives a lot of criticism for the size of their fleet. No wonder. They'll tell you they need this facility, and it's going to save $250,000 each year. How they were able to determine this amount is extremely unclear, since they couldn't tell me how much it will cost to operate the building annually. Even if you believe this figure, at a price tag of $7.5 million, it will take 30 years to pay for itself. Here's a concept: Figure out how to do more with less - like everyone else in this recession. Reduce the size of the fleet and you won't need a monster garage.

John Landman

West Chicago