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Pueblo West Wal-Mart by Anita Miller
January 24, 2005 1:38 PM
archivesWestern Skies' Anita Miller reports on the controversy surrounding a Wal-Mart distribution center that might be built in Pueblo West. Local citizens have sued the Pueblo West Metro District for violating the Colorado Open Meetings Law. [LISTEN]
ERIC WHITNEY: It's a familiar story across the country: Wal Mart wants to build, and a lawsuit follows. This time the location is Pueblo West. Western Skies Contributor Anita Miller reports.
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ANITA MILLER: This prairie just north of Highway 50 is where Wal Mart wants to build an 880,000 square foot distribution center. The center will substantially increase the already heavy traffic on Highway 50, the primary entrance to Pueblo West, and change the character of the area. But it's not hard to find people in Pueblo West who like the idea of the distribution center building here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's great. Pueblo needs the jobs--there's a lot of people out of work.
MILLER: How do you think it will affect the look of Pueblo West and the traffic, are you concerned about that at all?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not concerned about the looks because it's in the industrial side of the highway and that's what it's there for is the industry. As far as the traffic, I am concerned about the roads, keeping up with the roads, and not being messed up from the big trucks, the Wal Mart trucks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm kind of favor of it being here. I'm not so certain of the certain location they've picked, but they're still up in the air on that. I think anything we can do to help the economy and improve the work load out here gives Pueblo West a better tax base and that's what we're looking for going after these kinds of businesses.
MILLER: On the other side is a group called Pueblo West Citizens for Open Government. A month ago the group filed a lawsuit against Wal Mart, the Pueblo West Metro District, and the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation. They're also trying to recall all five members of the Pueblo West Metro District Board.
They contend that the board's negotiations with Wal Mart were conducted in secret, in violation of Colorado's sunshine law.
Jeff Sloan is a member of Pueblo West Citizens for Open Government.
JEFF SLOAN: I think a lot of proponents of the distribution center feel that anybody who's against this doesn't want Pueblo West to grow or is against economic development or is anti-business. And that is certainly not the case. Our concerns all along have been environmental, aesthetics, traffic and location. If we can find a location that makes sense and doesn't encroach on an already worsening traffic situation and establishes some real benefits for the community, we're all for it.
MILLER: The benefits are real to Margaret Eichman, chairperson of the Pueblo West Metro District board. She and the board voted to give Wal Mart 135 acres to build the distribution center, plus free water and sewer taps. Eichman says it was a tough decision, but believes that the 700 jobs and tax revenue Wal Mart is promising is a fair trade.
MARGARET EICHMAN: If we want to move forward and continue to grow and to be able to fund the things that we need to fund in this community, the roads, the parks, the rec, the fire department, those kinds of things, then this is just not something we can say no to.
MILLER: The situation is currently in the lap of the Pueblo County Commissioners, who also must sign off on the project before Wal Mart can build. Pueblo County is committing two million dollars toward improving roads that will service the proposed center. But county commissioners won't sign anything until a traffic impact study is complete and approved by its public works director.
For Western Skies, I'm Anita Miller in Pueblo West.
Posted by Eric Whitney on January 24, 2005 1:38 PM | Permalink
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