May 04, 2008 12:12 am
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In the first Meridian you could not find a finer place to live. This Meridian has a small town feel and big cities niceties. A regional shopping center, a beautiful train station to rival any big city, fine dining establishments, and of course our world class turn of the century opera house and convention center. What makes this Meridian even better, it is a friendly town where lots of people know each other by first names. This city is a place where homes neatly fit on the rolling hills and clean tree line streets. The same streets where residents casually walk for recreation and fitness. Norman Rockwell could not find a more tranquil city to paint.
But there is a second city called Meridian. In this second city I am not sure if Mr. Rockwell would find it as quaint of an image. The city where the streets are strewn with piles of refuse and allowed to collect for months. The city where houses are allowed to become dilapidated and arguments rage between two taxing government agencies about who is responsible to remove them. The city where crime seems acceptable, gun fire is heard at night, and careful thought is given before one ventures out after dark.
I believe all our citizens should live in the first Meridian where basic services should be expected from our governments. The city where resources are evenly dispersed. Where the city's leaders' number one priority should be public safety. Their number two priory should be to protect property owners from declining property values caused by absentee landlords and neglectful property owners. Now, this is the city I would want Mr. Rockwell to paint.
Bill Marcy
Meridian
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