the 3000 letters you speak of was not correct please read.
Letters in opposition to Granite City Wal-Mart don't stack up Share |
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Letters in opposition to Granite City Wal-Mart don't stack up
By Michael Heil www.STLtoday.com | Loading… | Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008 12:00 am
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The number of people protesting the expansion of the Granite City Wal-Mart store apparently was not nearly as great as Granite City First claimed last week.
A review of the letters by the Granite City Clerk's Office found that although 2,400 were delivered, they represented 637 different addresses - far short of the 3,000 letters Granite City First claimed to have delivered.
The clerk's office said a total of 2,400 letters were delivered, but most letters were duplicated several times.
Ken Aud, of Granite City First, said Monday that the confusion over the numbers was based on duplicated letters addressed to aldermen, the mayor and the planning and zoning commission. He said the group's idea was to send a strong message to city officials that Wal-Mart, yet alone a Super Center, is not welcome in the Granite City area by many.
The envelopes, containing letters of opposition to Wal-Mart's proposed expansion into a Super Center, were delivered by several members of Granite City First, a group of local union and church officials and residents who oppose a Super Center.
The envelopes were marched up the steps of City Hall about 12:15 p.m. Thursday to the mayor's office while he was at lunch. They were taken to the City Clerk's office, where they were reviewed Monday.
The clerk's office said it counted 110 envelopes with Granite City addresses, 115 envelopes with out-of-town addresses (Edwardsville, Collinsville, Alton, Aviston, Freeburg and others) and 412 envelopes without any addresses.
Granite City First is concerned that an expanded Wal-Mart could have an immediate effect on small businesses staying in business because of Wal-Mart's ability to sell merchandise at lower prices. The group noted that this is because the company doesn't pay its employees anything near union wages.
The group is also concerned that competition could lead to lower wages and fewer benefits for unionized employees of Schnucks and Shop 'n Save because an expanded Wal-Mart would include a food court.
Aud said Monday that the group will continue its efforts to send a strong message to City Hall that a Super Center is not welcome by collecting more letters of opposition. At least one representative from the group most likely will attend the May 20 City Council meeting, he said, when the mayor and aldermen receive the envelops that were directed to them.
He also said representatives would attend meetings in which the council would address rezoning the area where the Wal-Mart intends to expand.
That area, located north of Wal-Mart in a farmer's field, would have to be rezoned from agricultural to commercial for the project.
The city has a comprehensive plan of redeveloping the Route 3 corridor that includes a Super Center and two other commercial developments that would abut each other at a cost of about $90 million.
Mayor Ed Hagnauer said that unlike other developers, Wal-Mart has not asked the city for any incentives for the project.