Merge airport's cargo consultant, food service: Leftovers, again

It appears we've gotten very little from the $1 million-plus we've spent on consultants to chase cargo business between MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and Ningbo, China.

Zero cargo in 2017. Zero cargo in 2018.

Still, St. Clair County's appointees on the Public Building Commission are willing to chase international trade a little farther. They just voted to spend another $12,000 over the next six months to have consultant John Chang make phone calls, translate Chinese and generally keep the cargo dream on life support.

At the same time the commissioners were collectively nodding their heads to more money for cargo, they also pondered the need for a new food vendor contract at the airport terminal.

Maybe they should consider merging the cargo consultant and food service contracts. That way taxpayers would be assured of at least getting something for their money.

And maybe the food could be a way to build enthusiasm for that faraway goal of Chinese cargo. Maybe what they need is the MidAmerica-China Super Buffet.

Expect the following fare on the steam tables: No Park King, Chairman Kern's Pork Fried Pork, Flying Carp with Lemons, General TSA's Pat Down Eew, Sweet and Sour White Elephant and Budget Delight.

Your bill is $89.4 million on your airport tab, another $88 million on your grandchildren's credit card.

As you leave, there will be a fortune cookie from your favorite cargo caterer. Every fortune will read as follows: "Confucius said: When a man dreams of flight, many people see fortunes fly away."

This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 4:03 PM with the headline "Merge airport's cargo consultant, food service: Leftovers, again."