Wal-Mart is willing to play by the rules as long as the rules allow them to play. In Calvert County, Maryland, Wal-Mart wants to fly above the rules.
Wal-Mart opponents in Dunkirk, Maryland say that a supercenter in their town is not a done deal. Here’s an open letter that was sent to Sprawl-Busters, written to Calvert County, Maryland residents against the store: “Wal-Mart wants to open another store in Calvert County. We already have a Wal-Mart -it’s been in Prince Frederick for 10 – 15 years. Now they want to capitalize on northern Calvert’s rapid growth and build another Wal-Mart, in a shopping center already approved for construction, behind the Dunkirk McDonalds. BUT ONLY THE SHOPPING CENTER AND GIANT FOOD STORE ARE APPROVED! THE DUNKIRK WALMART IS NOT A DONE DEAL! Wal-Mart is trying to push through its plan BEFORE our County Commissioners can finalize a local Big Box Ordinance currently being drafted! Route 2-4 is the only major artery through this narrow peninsula. According to a May article in The Recorder newspaper, MD State Highway officials recently told the commissioners if more roads aren’t built soon, Dunkirk will have major gridlock in 10 years. So … sly Wal-Mart is offering to pay for a small section of the needed roads — in exchange for permission to proceed WITHOUT a Big Box Ordinance and EXEMPTION from ALL FUTURE BIG BOX ORDINANCES! Although commissioners had pledged no new big box stores without an ordinance, they still punted this political hot potato to the Planning Commission last month for “further study,” to see if it’s in keeping with the Dunkirk Town Center Master Plan. Commissioner, Jerry Clark, said later in the Recorder, “if we make an exception [to the ordinance rule] for one [Wal-Mart] they’re all [retailers] going to want it.” HE’S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! President of the Dunkirk Area Citizens Assoc. (DACCA), Jay Lounsbury, FAVORS the new Wal-Mart, citing a savings of time, gas and money as his rationale, in the group’s current newsletter. In other words, the President of the group tasked with protecting the interests of all area citizens, cares more about $150 per year and his own family’s comfort than he does about the huge traffic, environmental and cultural degradation such as store would undoubtedly create. He also thinks that dozens of recent news stories revealing Wal-Mart’s unfair labor and retail practices are ‘debatable.'”
For local contacts in Calvert County, contact [email protected]
