Every once in a while, it is a good idea to throw open the windows and pull up the blinds to let the sun shine in. That warm, bright presence has a way of casting its light on all that is hidden from view.

I bring this up in the context of recent news articles centered around Brunswick Landing and the eviction of one of the first anchor tenants, Kestrel Aviation. Kestrel, as you will recall, brought forth dreams of an aerospace empire situated in Brunswick. We should have known that what Kestrel was promising was unrealistic, alas we all fell for it.

Kestrel has been in arrears for at least two years according to some news outlets. The real numbers for back rent have been hard to pin down. The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority has not wanted to make them public due to an upcoming legal battle. Of course, one could guess that two years’ worth of rent would be at least $360,000 according to previous budgets on the MRRA website.

With another tenant of Brunswick Landing, Tempus Jets, having just been sued for lack of payment by a British investment firm it seems that this trend may continue. If Tempus Jets stops paying rent the total for them will be more than $215,000 per year according to the MRRA Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

Now, what about that sunshine? Because of my curious yet skeptical nature, I took to looking at several years of budgets from the MRRA website. By the way, there is no need to email me to tell me that I lead an exciting life seeing as this is what I do in my spare time.

What I found should be interesting to every tax payer in Maine. It should also prove that working in the private sector really is for suckers. Thankfully as a “public instrumentality of the state,” all of the information for MRRA is hidden in public view.

Let’s take a couple of the most egregious items first. In the 2017 budget year there were total salary costs that totaled more than $909,000. Almost a million dollars for staff. When one-part time person is taken out of the mix that number is reduced to $901,000 for ten staff members. That is a yearly average of more than $90,000 per person.

Of those ten employees a full 40 percent of them make in excess of $100,000 per year. The airport manager, the public works and utilities manager, the deputy director and the executive director all make in excess of a hundred large per year. The directors, themselves combined to make $324,000.

And as they say on those late-night infomercials, “That’s not all!”

Despite a yearly paycheck of about $185,000 for the director, the budget also includes some incidentals. Clearly this public servant is so giving of himself that he must be further compensated. There are line items for gasoline and oil changes for the director’s vehicle. You can throw in another $1,760 for that cost. How many of you are provided gasoline by your employer? Crickets you say.

We are also picking up a tab to the tune of $3,200 for the directors meeting expenses. And there is a charge for $8,900 for an annual dinner. How many stuffed lobster tails can one buy with that kind of bread?

We must also not forget the $900 in annual upkeep for the aforementioned director’s vehicle. And while we are at it, let’s make sure that the vehicle has insurance. We would not want the authority to run afoul of State law.

The director and four other employers also need MRRA supplied cell phones at a yearly cost of more than $4,000. I am guessing that Verizon can definitely hear them now.

There is also hotel stays, airline tickets and admissions to several conferences, junkets or events throughout the year that several of the MRRA staff members attend. I guess when you operate an airport everything is only a flight away.

It is little wonder that the information surrounding the evictions and non payments of rents have been slow in materializing. If that information gets out, think of what else could be out there. No wonder no one wants to kill the job. It is far too lucrative at this point.

That’s my two cents…

Jonathan Crimmins can be reached at j_ [email protected]