You don’t need to be a Doug Paris fan to give the guy credit for standing up to the county commissioner bullies at the Republican men’s meeting. Paris stood his ground and kept his cool! Bullies try to humiliate their target, and usually, the remarks have no significant value. That accurately describes the comments made by Mr. Sides and Mr. Pierce.
When Mr. Paris voiced his concerns about the purchase of the mall, Mr. Pierce told him that it was “none of his damn business.” Mr. Pierce, nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Paris is a citizen of Rowan County and a taxpayer.
How the county commissioners chose to spend the taxpayers’ money is every citizen’s business.
The price that the county commissioners offered for the dilapidated mall property is irrelevant. The county does not need the property, and county residents can’t afford a tax increase.
If the mall is such a great opportunity, why were Mr. Sides and Mr. Pierce so determined to keep the purchasing decisions confidential? Could it be that they really don’t care what the citizens think?
Instead of buying the Salisbury Mall, another distressed property, I believe that the Rowan County commissioners need to have a “going out of business sale.” Going out of the real estate business would be the best thing the commissioners could do for the citizens of Rowan.
Instead of buying more property, have a sale on the courthouse steps and get rid of the unused property that the county already owns. The new owners will be new taxpayers. With a little luck, new businesses and new jobs will be created. It is time for the leaders of the commission to stop their demagogue behavior and start protecting the interests of the Rowan citizens.
— Karen C. Lilly-Bowyer
Salisbury
In response to “County to offer $3.45 million for Salisbury Mall”:
It seems to me that the employees are being forgotten in this tug of war between the commissioners and the mall owners. What happens to the 50-plus employees? What of the families that depend on these jobs? One commissioner seems to consider that any retail future is out of the question. “The Salisbury Mall as a retail facility is done,” Commissioner Mitchell said.
Why hasn’t there been a push to get retail stores to move into the mall? Don’t we need more jobs rather than a new meeting place for the Board of Elections? Why haven’t these issues been discussed? Better yet, how did the mall get in this mess in the first place and how do we prevent it in the future? Well, commissioners?
— Richard Morgan
Salisbury

In response to the comments by Victor Farrah in the Nov. 4 “My Turn” article, it seems to be all problem but no cure short of dictums. Perhaps everyone is to agree with his litany of words like should (11); must (8), fail (5), take command (3), guilty (2), demand (1) and stop (1).
His logic seems to be contrary to what is commonly known as a democracy and not a dictatorship. I would welcome an article by Mr. Farrah that would speak to answers and not simply accusations. The easiest rhetoric in conversation is to castigate others who do not agree with one’s scourged opinion.
— David P. Nelson
Salisbury

It’s now been 30-plus days since the end of the world as the gun-control folks predicted. They did their best to say that many souls would be lost in restaurants that allowed legal concealed permit carriers to carry their weapons. As in all of their claims, it is just not true. The legal gun owners are not the ones to worry about. The thugs that don’t go by the laws of the land, they’re the ones to worry about. What has come of this is the establishments that do not trust your (as a legal gun owner) judgment, and I know where and I will and will not spend my money. Gun laws only affect the legal gun owners and will never be the answer to society’s problems. When you’re not taught right from wrong, that is the problem.
— Grant Eagle
Concord