The county commission voted Monday to reject bids on two storage buildings that County Engineer Tony Wearren and Sheriff Kevin Davis say are needed.

Most commissioners just couldn’t justify spending $69,000 on two buildings in a year of budget cuts and an uncertain outlook for 2010.

We applaud the commission showing fiscal restraint in these tough economic times. It’s an example some of our leaders in Washington, D.C. should consider following.

However, the building wouldn’t be wasteful spending. Both Wearren and Davis have expensive equipment just sitting outside that is subject to the elements and vandalism.

It’s counterproductive to not construct the storage building and then have to spend thousands of dollars repairing and replacing damaged vehicles and equipment.

Middle ground can be found. The county commission shouldn’t take the money from one of its capital project funds — with an aging courthouse and other buildings who knows when something might come up that will need to be addressed quickly. And there’s not money elsewhere in the general fund budget.

However, Wearren suggested Monday that he could adjust his budget to come up with the money next year. If that’s the case and there would be no adverse effects on the county’s upkeep of roads, then we don’t object to the buildings or their cost and don’t see why the county commission would either.