The Million Dollar Lighthouse Bathroom
By Sue Clark on Dec 3, 2007 in Opinion 
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Okay, so it’s almost a million dollars. But it’s still a lot of money to add a bathroom to a lighthouse. Roundout Lighthouse, on the Hudson River at the mouth of the Roundout Creek, was deeded to the city of Kingston, NY back in 2002. The city had grand plans for it at the time, envisioning a site for lighthouse weddings, parties and even eventually as a bed and breakfast. So the city accepted the light with visions of money making schemes to help in the restoration. Last summer, the lighthouse played host to five events which the city feels could be increased dramatically. In the meantime, they leased the running of the lighthouse to the Hudson River Maritime Museum, which offers tours to the public.
But, it turns out there aren’t bathroom facilities suitable for such grand future enterprises at the lighthouse. So, the city wants to commission a study (I’m in the wrong line of work…I should be a consultant) for $170,000 to study the feasibility of having the Army Coprs of Engineers extending a walkway out to the light. Granted, the money will come from federal and state funding, but whose money goes to the state and federal government? But anyway, a consulting engineer gave an estimate of between $600,000 and $900,000 dollars to bring municipal water and sewer to the site. Dennis Larios, the engineer, said there could be possibly cheaper ways to bring toilet facilities to the lighthouse, but these were the most “labor efficient.”
Are we talking about gold plated faucets here? According to a recent story in the Daily Freeman, the mayor, James Sottile, said the city’s sewer and water lines themselves are in dire need of repair, and besides, the city’s only budgeted $5,000 per year for maintenance, which include a new furnace, some facade work and new windows. And that there has to be cheaper ways of getting the facilities in place.
Although I am an advocate of lighthouse restoration and preservation, as a taxpayer (although not of Kingston NY) I would be outraged that the lighthouse would get new lines while the town’s were neglected, possibly leaking and more. I’m sure the lightkeepers of old would have loved city water, but most had to make do with outhouses. I wonder how much per flush these plans would work out to?
Unfortunately, the editor of the Daily Freeman thinks it’s a marvelous idea. In this editorial, Treasure Hunt, he advocates going ahead with these plans. Sorry, but for once I disagree with plans of this nature. Perhaps if it was a private enterprise, it would be different, but I think it can be done for way less, and still be effective.
Other blogs commenting on this story include NE Lighthouse Blog.
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