The story is told that Henry Ford once called in engineering genius Charles Steinmetz to find a solution for a malfunctioning generator that had stumped his own engineers. Steinmetz studied the generator for a few days, then used chalk to mark where the generator was malfunctioning and how to repair it. The generator worked like a charm after those repairs were made.

When he received a $10,000 bill from Steimetz, Ford was stunned and demanded an itemized invoice. Steinmetz complied with the following:

Making chalk mark on generator: $1.

Knowing where to make the mark: $9,999.

This oft-told story serves as a reminder that when you hire an expert, you aren’t paying for what they do, but for the years of training they have spent learning how to do the job.

Based on a couple of recent examples, it might be wise for the city of Columbus to hire an expert.

Tuesday’s closing date for the city’s sale of the old Woody’s on the Water property could not be consummated because the buyer, DJ Mantooth, had not received approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the land that is currently leased to the Lowndes County Port Authority.

The council voted Tuesday to extend the closing date to July 7.

The city has reached a tentative deal to sell the property twice since it was donated to the city in 2020. The first deal fell through completely.

While pushing back the closing date is not uncommon, it does create some concern about the current sale.

The situation is reminiscent of the city’s sale of the old Gilmer Inn property. The city purchased the property, which had become an eyesore, for $420,000 in 2015. The lot was cleared and put up for sale. In 2021, the city sold the property for $270,000 in the hopes of a mixed-use development there. The new owner’s plans fell through because of rising building costs, also understandable. The city’s hopes of a new development there remain in limbo.

We don’t intend this editorial to be critical of any of the buyers mentioned. Things happen. It may be time for the city to find its own Charles Steinmetz, though.

When a city decides to sell public property, it isn’t like a private homeowner putting a “For Sale” sign in the yard. Municipal property sales are governed by strict legal frameworks, public scrutiny and complex valuations.

Also, city officials are neither commercial real estate experts nor economic development professionals.

Partnering with a real estate professional is not just a good idea for local government. It is often the difference between a city achieving its goals and a legal or financial nightmare.

At the very least, the city should ask for assistance from the Golden Triangle Development LINK, which has years of experience locating and vetting potential owners and putting together deals that look out for the interests of the cities and counties it serves.

The benefits to the taxpayers justify turning to professionals to manage these sales.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.