By Staff
Cooper project the best option for economic progress
To the editor:
I agree with the letter from Jim McGinnis (The Meridian Star, Jan. 12) that Bonita Park can co-exist with a new golf course. Of course, this is the only way the city is going to get a new course, and being a duffer, I welcome the change.
The only way for Meridian to have its cake and be able to eat it is this proposal by Cooper Land Development Corp. With the present "old money" and the fiscal condition of both the city and county, there seems no other chance for the increase in housing nor a needed new city golf course. Therefore, this alternative seems the best.
I believe it's time to pull out all stops in trying to attract some manufacturing jobs, better housing, better education, and better fiscal accountability for elected officials, and get this city and county on the map.
We have called Meridian home since January 1984 and believe it's time to get off the pot. We have grown to love this city, county and the people, but the old school of thought and the old methods are not working. It's time for real forward thinking and actions.
I believe most of the people under the age of 65 will agree. We need leaders who are not afraid to look at other ideas of cities and counties and stop acting as being defeated before even looking and asking for ideas. A great many of our citizens have the guts to go forward and are not afraid of trying new ideas to help this city and county move forward.
The people are going to have to be together and start taking an interest in city and county government. So, if you are one of those that take no active vote, and still complain, you need to change your ways. Too many people have died for you to have the right to vote
It's time to wake up, Meridian.
Larry Spencer
Meridian
People should vote on line of credit
To the editor:
Bill Whitworth did a fine job of explaining his ideas of just what a line of credit is and what it is for (The Meridian Star, Jan. 11). His explanation is valid for individuals and for businesses.
Governmental bodies are another story. They collect taxes, make budgets and spend money, if they don't have enough money they issue bonds. If a line of credit worked for them we would not need bonds nor caps thereon. With bond issues the public is usually involved and monies are borrowed for a specific purpose and paid back in a fixed time and are VOTED on.
Now let's get down to the nuts and bolts of this issue. Looks like the general public has lost confidence in the ability of our elected representatives to always work in our best interest. My and your personal lines of credit are our individual responsibility. If we use the money we have to pay it back. I don't pay yours and you don't pay mine. I don't control your spending and you don't control mine. Looks like the county can borrow money, spend it like they please (the public has no control) and not pay it back for 25 years if this line of credit becomes effective.)
You nor I are required to borrow a certain amount to activate our account. However, in this instance a minimum of $150,000 must be borrowed immediately. Are we to pay interest on a revolving line of credit and on a minimum of $l50,000? Twenty-five years is perpetual to me. Looks like they're going to borrow this money from Sears Roebuck. I see no proposal to repay any of this or any other monies borrowed in the short term and in the long term we know who will foot the bill. Wonder how much this has already cost the county?
Possibly we should be permitted to vote on this issue before we give a bunch of folks with a sweet tooth a key to the candy store.
H. Davison
Meridian
Seeks information on divorced ministers
To the editor:
I am currently researching the issue of divorced ministers for a book on the subject. I would like to hear from ministers of the gospel, in all denominations of the Christian faith, who have divorces in their background. The focus of the book is to highlight the issue from the prospective of the divorced minister, and to determine the degree to which this issue alone is used by churches as a basis for rejection.
The purpose of the book is not to condemn or to judge either the minister or the church as a whole, but simply to shed light on a different side of the issue. I would appreciate your printing this letter so that I may reach as many ministers as possible in the Meridian area.
Anyone who is interested in providing information and/or sharing his prospective on the subject is invited to respond by contacting me at the address below.
Dee Ann Campbell
P.O. Box 758
Butler, AL 36904
deeann-campbell@excite.com