Friday, Jan. 4, 2002

By Staff
Litter, vandalism mar mall parking lot
To the Editor:
Will our new mall survive or will it come a carbon copy of the Village Fair Mall?
On Thursday, Dec. 26, 2001, I went to the movies with my daughter and granddaughter. It was the 8 p.m. movie and didn't let out until around 11 p.m.
I parked out towards the streets so I would have less chance of getting doors dented and even backed out of the parking space after pulling in the first time just to even the space on each side of my car.
After the movie, we walked towards my car which was sitting almost alone at the top of the hill. Almost alone except for the beer cans, bottles and broken glass. My daughter went around the car to the passenger side and immediately said, "Oh, mother, someone has hit your car door." The next thing I heard was, "Oh, my Lord, they have run all over the side of your car."
We went to notify mall security who called the police department. When the officer arrived, he pointed out to us the footprints where all of the dents were and said that he was writing his report up as vandalism, not hit and run. (These footprints are costing my insurance company $2,200.)
Security at the mall heard and saw nothing. I have an alarm on my car which is always set. I called for the manager of the mall on Friday and was told that they had an acting manager until the new manager arrived next week. They assured me that the acting manager would call me. I was not expecting anything from him except maybe an "I'm sorry it happened," or "We will try to patrol the trouble spots around the mall more frequently."
I never received that call or any call from the security department or manager at the mall.
You don't see all of the beer cans and bottles around other areas of the mall, only by the entrance to the food court and theater. Even a grandmother can spot troubled areas  it doesn't take a security guard or policeman to find them.
If our mall is going to survive and not be another bunch of dark, empty stores, of which we now have plenty, someone had better take more interest in what is going on around them than they are now.
Who knows … maybe Hudson's is looking for a second location.
Janet Booker
Meridian
City's emergency personnel deserve increase in pay
To the Editor:
To the firefighters of Meridian:
I understand that our leaders deserve raises, and should receive proper compensation for their work. Our Emergency Service leaders do deserve such incentives for dealing with the everyday stresses of their jobs. With that said, I would like to emphasize the importance of the men and women that carry out the day to day tasks that are handed down from our government leaders.
The City of Meridian's firefighters and the other emergency personnel do not receive the monetary value equal to their service. Mayor John Robert Smith should give all emergency personnel a raise in pay that could curb the cost of inflation.
We really need to ask ourselves why is it that the people we need the most we pay the least. Every official is entitled to make mistakes and our mayor should realize this as one that needs correcting.
Charles Graham
via e-mail
New residential project a real economic boost
To the Editor:
Congratulations, Mr. Mayor. Your efforts in landing the $35 million dollar project with the Cooper Land company are outstanding.
Not only will Meridian get a new professionally designed golf course, but the development of the Lakeview property will do many things for the city of Meridian. Not only will this create a number of construction jobs, but it will also bring in a lot of money in taxes on property which has never been on the tax rolls.
In addition, the influx of new retirees and individuals coming to the city will also have a great bearing on the hotels, motels, restaurants, etc. This is a win-win situation for the city and I personally congratulate you on your efforts to get the project for the city of Meridian.
Jim Knowles
President, Lakeview Seniors
Golf Association
Meridian