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Staten Islanders voiced mixed reactions last night to the announcement that the Sept. 11 memorial at Ground Zero will list the names of the dead according to the World Trade Center tower where they died, whom they worked for or the plane they were on.
The decision announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg was supported by the memorial architect. It was a change from the random listing first envisioned by the memorial's designer.
"The question of how the names are listed evokes strong feeling and convictions from relatives, colleagues and friends of those we lost," said Bloomberg, the chairman of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.
"I have spent a lot of time listening to everyone's views on the subject, and there is no right answer," he said. "Nevertheless, it is time to move forward."
Michael Arad, designer of the "Reflecting Absence" memorial, originally proposed listing the names of the nearly 3,000 victims in random order to reflect the chaos of Sept. 11, but said the new proposal "preserves the equality of all victims while honoring the selfless sacrifice of the first responders."
Arad said: "This allows us to place the names of those who died that day next to each other in a meaningful way."
The proposal was approved by the foundation's executive committee. Foundation officials said no full board approval would be necessary.
And while Sept. 11 families, in general, were upset by the omission of their loved ones' ages, the floors they worked on and the ranks of fire and police officials who died, the feelings of Island families and city representatives ranged from anger to pleasure.
"The artist didn't lose anybody," said Great Kills resident Dennis McKeon, executive director of Where-to-Turn, a nonprofit organization that provides support services to 9/11 families.
While he acknowledged the new plans are a "step in the right direction," McKeon added that, because the names are not going to be put in any type of order, "it is going to make it difficult for people to find their loved ones. They will have to go to a chart," something he said many 911 families wanted to avoid.
"My son (Fire Lt. Charles Joseph Margiotta) was a lieutenant, so it should say lieutenant," said Charles V. Margiotta, 70, of Westerleigh, referring to the decision not to use rankings with the names.
'NOT JUST A NAME'
"It should say Lt. Charles Margiotta," the elder Margiotta said. "I think that's respectable and it tells you who he is and where he died and it is not just a name."
Lenore Raimondi of Annadale said she really doesn't care about rankings or groups. What she wants is everyone's name to be listed in a way that is honorable and respectful of the many loved ones who lost their lives.
"I want the names listed in a memorial that is beautiful to remember, because they were very special people and they should not be forgotten and they live on with us forever," said Mrs. Raimondi, whose husband, Peter Frank Raimondi, perished on Sept. 11.
Meanwhile, FDNY representatives said they were pleased that all 343 firefighters lost on Sept. 11 will be listed together by the companies they worked and died with.
"We are happy," said Steven Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. "This is one of the things we absolutely wanted to have and are thrilled it has happened."
"The mayor deserves a lot of credit ... in the end we believe this is the right decision and certainly firefighters can support the memorial going ahead," Cassidy said.
McKeon, however, contended the plan is indicative of a continual behind-the-door decision-making process that has others making key decisions while leaving the people most affected -- survivors -- out of the process.
The new arrangement includes 10 groupings of names of the 2,979 people killed on Sept. 11 and in the 1993 WTC bombing.
The names of civilians who died in Tower 1 and aboard the hijacked jetliner that crashed into it will be listed on a parapet surrounding a reflecting pool marking that tower's footprint.
The names of the victims in Tower 2 will be listed around its footprint, along with those of rescue workers killed in both towers, victims on the flights that crashed into the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa., and the people who died in the 1993 bombing.
-- ASSOCIATED PRESS material was used in this report.
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