By Staff
Welcome Cooper Development
To the editor:
Dear citizens of Meridian,
I have read with great interest the debate over our Bonita Lakes properties and the sale of 1,314 acres to Cooper Development. There have been many issues brought into play from inorganic fertilizers to organic ones; from tree-hugging hikers to fairway driving players.
What I have been able to condense from this and put into a reasonable case is that we the people of Meridian and Lauderdale county "NEED" Cooper Development. They will bring tax revenues and untold benefits to our area that we truly need.
On the other hand I see that a municipal golf course located at Bonita lakes will further dwindle beautiful stands of forest land that our childrens' children will never be able to enjoy.
Building the municipal golf course away from Bonita Lakes will not prevent Cooper from coming to Meridian. They will come no matter where the new course is built. The Cooper property and new golf course are two entirely different agreements. The 1,314 acres will be bought and paid for. The municipal course can and should be built at the best site that will benefit all parties, including golfers, hikers, bikers, runners, horses, birders, botanists and others. This site should have as little impact on the chosen property as possible. One simply cannot meet this criteria at Bonita Lakes.
There seems to have been some misconception as to the desires of those of us who want Bonita to remain natural. We are and have from the beginning been in favor of Cooper coming to Meridian. Why wouldn't we support an offer for them to increase our population, bring in new revenue, create more jobs and basically improve the quality of life here for all of us. All we want is to find a better suited site for the municipal course.
So in closing, "Welcome Cooper Development." We want and need you here; just leave Bonita Lakes alone.
Maurice Malone
Meridian
On Clarke County's dedicated workforce
To the editor:
There have been some previously published letters to the editor applauding the many people in Clarke County and the surrounding areas who gave Burlington Industries Stonewall many loyal years of service. I am a plant Production Manager here and I echo these sentiments. I have worked with Burlington Industries for 28 years. In all those years I have never seen a more dedicated workforce. These people are fine employees and citizens of the many surrounding communities. I have shared with them the full gambit of emotions since the announcement of the plant closure. These include shock, dismay, anger, and now the reality of the pending finality of the situation. My wish for each one of these people and their families is good fortune and God's blessings as an uncertain future unfolds.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a bad, rotten, banana in every bunch. This past weekend some individual(s) maliciously damaged several thousand dollars of raw materials. It was a cowardly act. An act that accomplishes nothing.
It is my sincere hope that this perpetrator(s) can be exposed. His/her co-workers need to know, his/her family needs to know, and future employers need to know just what kind of individual he/she really is. He/she needs professional help but most of all he/she needs our prayers.
The decision to close Burlington's Stonewall Plant has been made and now it is our responsibility to do so with dignity. The Stonewall plant has a gracious heritage. A heritage that 99 percent of the employees would like to preserve.
Mike Smith
Production Manager
Burlington Industries Stonewall Plant
Stonewall
Reader appreciates Star's coverage of carousel arts project
To the editor:
Thank you so very much for the pictures recently in the paper of "Star Spangled Pony" and "Fantasy Filly." Hopefully, these kind of pictures will create more awareness of the "Around Town Carousels Abound" series.
Mary Polk
Meridian
Weidmann's a piece of Meridian history
To the editor:
Weidmann's closing … it is wonderful the citizens of Meridian will have a chance to take home a memory of Weidmann's. My only thought is did anyone remember to donate any items to the Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History? Weidmann's deserves to be remembered. Please don't let Meridian's roots slip away.
Betty Armstrong
Orange Park, Fla.
Kmart's troubles
To the editor:
In the Sunday Meridian Star, I read an article that asked the question; "Would consumers really miss Kmart?" I don't think so myself, like one of the consumers said, "their customer service rots." I agree, Kmart is just like the dinosaur, a relic of the past and this I believe is due to their own indifference to the customer and our changing times. I think the old saying, "Lead, follow or get out of the way" applies to Kmart and they just can't blame this on Wal-Mart.
Let me give you example. One day this past November, I stopped at Kmart on Frontage Road to pick up some hardware items that I knew they carried. Returning to the checkout counter, I was surprised to see only one lane open.
Ahead of me, a woman was busy unloading her cart onto the counter and she turned to me and said, "You better find another checkout as I am going to be here for a long time." But, with only one line open, where was I to go? I placed my items on the counter behind her merchandise and waited and waited and waited as the clerk would pick up an item, take it to the service counter adjacent to her line. She repeated this with every item before scanning for the price.
After 15 minutes of this circus, I looked around and although there were three people standing around in the courtesy area, no one attempted to open up another lane and by now there were three or four people behind me, muttering about this poor service and delay. I just left my items on the counter and left as I had another appointment and was running late.
On the way out, I stopped at the courtesy desk and made this remark: "I think it would be a good idea for you people to start thinking about looking for another job. When the new Wal-Mart opens within six months there will be a giant sign on the front of this building saying "FOR SALE."
One last remark. Kmart, why prolong the agony any longer? Turn your imported merchandise over to a liquidator and get out of the business. You had your chance but you chose to do it your way. Do you remember some of the other giants, like Montgomery-Ward, W.T. Grant?
David A. Williamson
Hickory