Unnecessary Problem

Look familiar?

I realize that Plattsburgh City has more important problems on its mind after Tropical Storm Irene hit on Sunday than leaks at the public library. But the point that I've been trying to get across for years is that if you fix it right the first time, you won't have to worry about it again.

As you can see from the accompanying images, leaks have once again wrecked ceiling tiles near the main entrance. How much do those tiles cost? What about the problem with mold growing within the building? What will it cost to remedy that? And how much more will the carpeting take before it has to be replaced?



Apparently the leaks have been traced to outside walls that need repointing. When the wind drives the rain in a certain direction the water seeps through the damaged mortar between the bricks.

Is the city saving money by constantly ignoring the problem? Add up the replacement costs for ruined materials plus the expense of mold removal and it probably adds up over the years to more than finally fixing the leak.

Your tax dollars at waste.