WEBVTT

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WalMart is the largest
retail chain in the world

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leveraging the advantages of a global economy. WalMart has
redefined their shopping experience with the American consumer.

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But WalMart encounters
increasing resistance,

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more than 100 small towns have
said no to big box mega stores.

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The stake is… is the future of our town.

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We’re picketing WalMart. Supporters
vote with their wallets.

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We have more than 90 million customers
every week. All right, WalMart.

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WalMart rules, yeah! There are conflicting
versions of the American greed.

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The debate in small towns
is ultimately about values

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which are most important to a
community, who gets to decide.

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Major funding for Store Wars was provided
by the corporation for public broadcasting.

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Additional funding was provided by the California
Council for the Humanities, the Funding Exchange,

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the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities,
and the Fleishhacker Foundation.

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[music]

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Therefore, WalMart comes I don’t think
this town will ever be the same.

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It’s about the soul of our community, the only
people that don’t want WalMart are the rich people

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and they’ve got theirs. I think
that we should need to fight

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fire with fire. My pray for
Ashland is for it to stay small

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and to keep our town free of the pollution of big box
retails, so that we can pass it on to our children

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and our children’s children. Yeah.

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Yeah, cancel (inaudible) want to listen.

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I want to welcome everybody to
Ashland town council meeting.

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I strongly believe that no one should
be compelled to shop at WalMart,

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nor do I believe anyone should be
precluded from shopping at WalMart.

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We ask you not to stand
alone but to stand with us,

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the people you represent in making this most important
decision. Ashland is strictly business to the developer.

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To us, it is our home.

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And I’m here to tell you there’s a lot of people asking they
want WalMart. They’re just not here, they’re quiet people

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and they don’t want the conflict.
You’ve all made up your mind already.

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I say to any one of you gentlemen on this council,
if you vote yes on this issue, shame on you,

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shame on you. Call for the question.
Question.

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Tonight is the final vote on the WalMart
issue that is, torn our town apart.

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A year ago we were just a
friendly little southern town.

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[music]

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[music]

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[music]

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In three minutes we’ll be arriving in downtown Ashland,
one of the prettiest little towns in the south.

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When people say Ashland is pretty, they’re
thinking about our historic down,

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even Amtrak loves us. This
is the only town where

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the trains stop right on Main Street.
[sil.]

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Ashland Virginia is right on I-95,

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the fastest growing corridor on the East Coast.
Many people here work in nearby Richmond

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and do most of their shopping in the malls by
the highway. It’s here on the outskirts of town

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that WalMart wants to build its store.
My name is Rosanne Shalf.

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Most people know me as Rosie, my husband and I
raised both of our children here in Ashland.

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I wrote the only history book about the town. And I
can’t think of any issue the town has ever faced

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that is stirred up as
much emotion as this one.

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I first realized it when the Planning Commission held a public hearing
to find out how residents would feel about a WalMart mega store.

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You may ask yourself why
I’m standing before you

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with this ridiculously small coat.

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I’m doing this phone out(ph) to you that, I think this coat
fits me approximately the way that WalMart fits in to Ashland.

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I stopped around, he’s the doctor
that makes the house calls.

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I’m doing this uh… to service someone of a wake up
call, ‘cause I think this is not business as usual.

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Uh… WalMart is 10 miles away from here.
Dana Wagner’s(ph) son,

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hadn’t he grown. At that time I was still trying to
figure out what would WalMart actually mean for our town.

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Thank you very much.

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Give me a \"Hey.\"

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Hey. (inaudible).

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Yeah. Just as we have done
in the United States,

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we are changing retailing the world over.

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We did a 137 billion
dollars this past year.

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WalMart is the largest retail
corporation in the world. Hey. Hey.

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I’m here today to talk to you all a little bit about why the
Kathie Lee collection has been so successful at WalMart.

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Well, I have got great news for
all of you visitors from KMart,

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Target, Kroger, and any others. This
morning, in front of thousands of people

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we’re gonna unveil the magic formula.

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To keep its investors happy, WalMart must
maintain a relentless pace of expansion.

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[music]

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In the US, it opens a new store
every two business days.

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And T. T… What’s that spell? WalMart.

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We can’t here you. WalMart.

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The company also expands abroad,
averaging one new country every year.

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WalMart’s revenues this year are expected to be
the largest of any corporation in the world.

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Who’s number one? (inaudible).

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[sil.]

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[music]

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Oh, look at the socks.

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And that group (inaudible). Most of these
people do not know what (inaudible) position.

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Don’t it always seem to go

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That you don’t know what you’ve got
till it’s gone, they paved paradise…

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There are a few people who should know about. There’s Mary
(inaudible), she’s with a group that just flung to stop WalMart,

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the pink flamingos, who knows
where that name came from.

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I want to get a black flamingo and put in my front
yard. And that’s our mayor Tom Herbert VIII,

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old traditions live long in Ashland.
[music]

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Today he’s paddling around with Stuart
Reed, who is also in Town Council.

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Usually, these two are on
opposite sides of every issue.

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[music]

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And there’s no better way to celebrate the 4th of
July and Declaration of Independence in a small town

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which Ashland is.

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[music]

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If Ashland still has any character,

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it’s because we’re the only town in this part of Virginia around
Richmond that has a town council to make our own decisions.

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Council will decide on the WalMart zoning application
after the Planning Commission makes its recommendation.

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We have a mortician and a mill owner

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and a school bus driver entrusted with the future of the town. But
the real decision makers on council are Jim Moore an attorney,

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and Tommy Herbert, our youngest
mayor in recent memory.

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I want to welcome everybody to
Ashland town council meeting.

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Tom Herbert works in his
father’s insurance business,

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but he was in Scouts with my son. He was an
earnest kid, he just wanted everyone to like him.

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He’s probably got aspirations
beyond Ashland town council.

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So many people are watching the town council meetings, you
know, it… it’s scary. Some people look at you and go,

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hey, that’s the guy on TV. I’m trying to give
them, you know, sort of like thanking of,

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I got a show here. Here are your four answers. I
think a sitcom could be based off of a town council.

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Well, you’d have your traditional
Southern type of gentleman.

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I think it’ll be fun to
have a feminist one there,

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you know, just for the friction. And you get a
bunch of people fighting and it’s sort of funny.

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I’m studying history of other small towns in our predicament.
Nobody wants a 24 hour store, we don’t want the traffic,

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we don’t want the noise, we don’t want the
trucks. You can’t stop the development.

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This will generate in the order
of 29,000, 29,000 cars a day.

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The jobs that WalMart’s going to bring to Ashland
are going to be replacing better paying jobs,

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we’ve already got established now
with local hometown businesses.

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From everything I hear, WalMart
is a good corporate citizen and…

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and a good employer. They are
last in charitable giving

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of all the discount, major discounters.

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And well, if it’s that bad, why are they
the largest retailer in the country?

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[sil.]

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I tell you people are now talking
about WalMart everywhere.

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First of all how many of us want WalMart
to come into action, raise your hand?

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One, two… Raise them high for me.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,

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9, 10, 11, 12… 12, okay, thank you.

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How many of you said no, who would not
like WalMart to come to Ashland? Okay.

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One, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight,
nine. I say, yes, because the prices are lower.

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Okay, because the prices are lower, all right.
Who else? Who else want to… Yes, ma’am.

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It’s more convenient. You don’t have to go to Richmond. Okay, you’re
more convenient, don’t have to go to Richmond, all right. Yes, sir.

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Job opportunities. Job opportunities, okay. We
don’t need another WalMart. You can go to WalMart

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ten minutes in any direction you
go, mechanics, (inaudible) there,

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and the prices aren’t that much greater that
you’d go every day anyway, so… I said no.

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I’m concerned about the congestion in terms of traffic, the number of
people. The part of the reason that I chose to live in Ashland was

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because it was a small town.

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Some people want WalMart in Ashland but
only those opposed are organizing.

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Yeah, well, well, this is our one
copy we… we’ve got another flyer

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which we need to print more copies of which we’re going to mail,
just pass it around for everybody. The members of the flamingoes

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are carpenters, coaches on youth
sports teams, supervisors, teachers,

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I mean, we’ve got a huge
range of ordinary people.

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Hi. How’s it going? Good.

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I’m a mom of four kids, I’m a fulltime occupational
therapist in the school system and I own a small business,

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the coffee shop downtown. And
we don’t have the experience

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to know how the system works. Umm… We
don’t have the knowledge of the zoning

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and the planning and… and
just the political games.

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Can we say grace? Yeah, it was like a…

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Now. Bless us, O Lord! and these Thy gifts, which we are
about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord.

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All right. Now you may dig in. Raise
your hand if you like this tuna.

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I feel like right now we’re about
to compete in the Olympics

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but we’re just learning the sport.

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The Flamingos decided they needed outside help
if they were going to commence Town Council.

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So they brought in a consultant just
for a day. Glad to meet you. I’m here.

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We heard about Al Norman who’s helping small towns all
over America after having a similar battle in his own town

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and decided, \"Hey, let’s give
this a whirl, bring him to town.

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You know, uh… WalMart good sources for you,
I mean, they’re giving every day low price.

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I didn’t go to college to be a sprawl buster
and there’s no degree in sprawl busting yet.

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And what motivates me is just the idea
of helping small town America survive,

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that… that sense of unique place
of what makes my town different

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and what makes my town a beautiful place to live
in, all of that is on the line with WalMart.

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The number of people affected by
these stores are in the millions.

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They’re doing this because they
feel deeply about the fact

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that their hometown is worth fighting for. Talk…
I like to talk about strategy and I like to

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do that in the context that what gets said here does
not get repeated outside this room, is that okay?

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I mean the… I… I list over 100 communities

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that have beaten big stores.

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I don’t like the idea of a big corporate giant telling
local people what their hometown is going to look like

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and be like in the future, and what opportunities
are going to be available for their kids.

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They bring an enormous array
of resources into a community

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and the local citizens are holding bake sales
to try to hire traffic engineer. It’s a…

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it’s a enormously slant a process that
leaves the citizens often with the feeling

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that it’s impossible to make it happen. WHAN Ashland, a
community informational meeting is being held this evening

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at the Hannover Arts and Activity. More people are here
tonight, they never come to a popular Christmas show,

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and some of them have to watch it outside.
An attorney for WalMart

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braved the crowd to present
the company’s position.

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To proposed shopping center we believe will create a
new retail destination and will attract customers

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from not only the town but
outside the town of Ashland.

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Let me just tell you very briefly some of the numbers that I’ve seen
and that I think it’s important for the town council to understand.

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WalMart gains are at the
expense of other merchants,

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84% of WalMart’s sales come
from other existing businesses.

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WalMart Founder Sam Walton in his autobiography
wrote that WalMart will not put a store

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in a community where it is not
wanted, is still WalMart’s policy.

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I think… I think the test of whether

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or not a store is wanted in the
community is by… gauged by

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the number of people who
shop there once it’s open.

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I… Let me say this. You know, I… I…

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I respect your right to
disagree with anything I say.

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But I sincerely hope we won’t get disagreeable in the
process. Yes, I’d like to address this to Mr. Weinberg,

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he’s made a couple statements
that there would be uh…

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very or no little impact on our
small businesses here in Ashland.

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There will be some reduction
in business in the short run,

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but in the long run are the…
in immediate term we believe…

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we believe it will be an
enhancement for local businesses,

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because of the unique nature of the local business. Have you already reviewed the
study, is that why you’re saying that? No, but I’ve talked preliminarily with the…

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with the person who’s in the
midst of making the study.

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It seems like you’re hearing the conclusions before the
study is even out. Now that’s… that’s not so at all.

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Got it. Mr. Weinberg is willing to predict
I will. The study is going to come out

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and show that WalMart will have a positive net
impact on all the revenue sources that you can name.

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And I could have guaranteed you tonight would
come here and find nothing but evil in WalMart.

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[sil.]

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Who are you? John Jones(ph). Nice to meet you. All
these facts and figures you had for the press.

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Yeah. Got them some place? I saw at
the debate that people are surprised

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that WalMart would even want to locate a store
at Ashland with another one 10 miles away.

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But that’s part of the WalMart saturation strategy. They place their
store so close together that they become their own competition.

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And once everybody else is wiped out, then
they’re free to thin out their stores.

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WalMart has 390 empty
stores on the market today.

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This is a company that has changed stores
just as casually as you and I change shoes.

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Well, we do have a WalMart store
10 miles away in Richmond.

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Uh… We’re not proposing to serve Ashland
customers with a Richmond store.

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Richmond is a very successful store and it’s
there for members of the Richmond Community.

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The best way to get people
to really base their

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conclusions on factual information is to get them to
look at other communities where there is a WalMart store

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and find out for themselves what
the effects have really been.

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Listen to what people here are saying.

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WalMart definitely brings more
people to your community.

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A lot of those people who come don’t necessarily
shop at WalMart once they get here,

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they shop at other places as well.
I want every business.

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I think there’s room for
everyone in some fashion.

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The other retailers in the area, the smaller
retailers have had to become a niche players.

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And… and have adopted very well as… as the matter of fact.
In most cases they have been some quiet (inaudible)

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who are not around,

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but WalMart, I would say has been a
good corporate citizen of our area.

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As you can see, WalMart reaches out to its
neighbors and makes its communities stronger.

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It’s a reputation we’re proud of
and hope to renew in Ashland.

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When WalMart gave town council a
video they produced just for them,

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Mayor Herbert and council member Stuart Reed decided
to go to Tappahannock and do their own reality check.

00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:29.999
Who are the other individuals that you have that
we’re going to be meeting with. I had talked with

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.999
uh… the Tribble brothers in Tappahannock
who own up a building supply firm.

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:39.999
Well, I think we need to talk to everyone.
That’s right.

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.999
Nice to meet you guys. How’re you doing?

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:49.999
Great, great. You all wanna… Where you all wanna go and talk
about the WalMart (inaudible). Well, we can go upstairs,

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:55.000
that our office is little quieter up there, and
have a little more privacy. I’ll lead the way.

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.999
Since WalMart came to our area,
there have been approximately

00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:09.999
28 to 30 businesses that have closed.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:14.999
The talk about drawing
people to Tappahannock,

00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:19.999
they draw people to the WalMart
parking lot, they park their car,

00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.999
they go in the store, they
buy every thing in WalMart

00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:29.999
that they used to buy from these five or six
places here in town that have gone eight or more.

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.999
They walk back out, they get
in their car, and they leave.

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:39.999
Tappahannock don’t see a red cent
of their money, WalMart does.

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:44.999
My kids are,

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:49.999
if you ask them where are you going to buy something in
Tappahannock? The first thing they’re gonna say is WalMart,

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:54.999
because they don’t know anywhere
else to go. If you put it on a scale

00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:59.999
and you put it on one side of the
scale, you balance the total revenue

00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:04.999
that’s brought in your community in
the form of tax dollars by WalMart…

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.999
I mean, it’s a lot of money. If
you take out of the other side,

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:14.999
what you’ve lost in total revenue in tax dollars
from the 28 to 30 businesses collectively.

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.999
When you take out the jobs

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:24.999
that are lost by family members and
employees of those 28 to 30 businesses,

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:29.999
if you take out the support for
the community, volunteerism,

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:34.999
far and rescue, hard fund, charity work,

00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:39.999
if you take out… take all of that,
certainly becomes very one sided.

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.999
And I think the loss is to the community.

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:50.000
[music]

00:21:55.000 --> 00:22:00.000
Well, that is a dead shopping center.
That’s two dead and one alive. [music]

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:09.999
[music]

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:14.999
WalMart was sort of the last straw. You weren’t
competing with… with people your own size anymore,

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:19.999
you were competing against huge conglomerates. As… as
you lose people like me, you lose the service too.

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:24.999
Umm… If… if you came into my store and want a
pair of boots, I could pull them off the shelf

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:29.999
and… and tell you what was in them and figure out which boot
was best for you and fit you. When you go to a WalMart,

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:34.999
the guy will tell you it’s on B3 and he thinks it’s in a box.
My store was kind of almost like a community gathering place.

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:39.999
You… you would have people
that came in every day.

00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.999
Umm… They bought from you but they also came in to check
on the news and see… see this and that and the other.

00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:49.999
We had customers who, their great, great
grandfathers had… have been in business.

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:54.999
You know, they’ve been doing business with us when we first went in business and we’re
taking care of their kids now. And… and so you knew them, you had some history with them.

00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:59.999
And it was… it was what it was.

00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:08.000
[music]

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:19.999
We have enough versus in there,

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:24.999
enough lines in there for the whole play.

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:29.999
You know, how can… how can we work in our
uh… historical heritage here in the town?

00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:34.999
Really if you say, Robert E. Lee

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:39.999
was in Ashland too in my hometown. Mm-hmm.

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.999
Stonewall Jackson for me and
you, slept here too. Slept here.

00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:49.999
But…

00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:54.999
but now we’re all sad and blue for lack of better
work because Sam Walton wants to move here too.

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:59.999
Come here too.

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:08.000
[sil.]

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:23.000
[music]

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:29.999
Yeah, when I bought it at
WalMart it’s edited like crazy,

00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:34.999
like half the songs like that are on the
original CD, it’s… it’s not even there.

00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:39.999
And like, half the other songs like this song, it’s
like … they just really like destroyed the whole song,

00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.999
it’s like, instead of like (inaudible) loving
you tonight. It sounds so bad like that.

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:49.999
When bands refused to edit the songs. WalMart just won’t carry the
stuff. Yeah, it sounds like a children song. Like, if I wanted that,

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.999
then I’ll go by (inaudible).

00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:59.999
WalMart is the largest seller
of pop music in America.

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.999
In small towns, it is often
the only music retailers.

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:09.999
Every year hundreds of recording artists must create a second cleaned
up version of their CD’s, in order to help WalMart carry their music.

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.999
Critics and teenagers protest that this
is censorship, many parents are grateful.

00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:23.000
[sil.] Cross Brothers, can I help you?
Hi, Virginia,

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:29.999
how are you doing? One Dale Monica,

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.999
how thick you want? (inaudible) okay.

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:39.999
One chicken breast. You want
boneless or with the bone in it?

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.999
[sil.]

00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:49.999
Harry Moses wants to know
the balance in her ticket.

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:54.999
Okay. Hold on just a minute. 440.23.

00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:59.999
440.23 Yes. She didn’t pay
it all up last month,

00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:04.999
that’s why it’s behind.
How’s your son doing?

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:09.999
I knew he’d been in the hospital.
Wish you would ask her.

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:14.999
These days we’re debating which local
stores would be at risk if WalMart comes.

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:19.999
Thank you. That’ll be, but later to pay.

00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:24.999
[music]

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:29.999
Even though the issue, we’ll first have
to clear the Planning Commission hurdle,

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:34.999
our town council is also
getting pulled into the fray.

00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:39.999
The one person on Town Council with a lot
of influence over Tommy is Jim Moore,

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:44.999
who’s also the most pro
development member of council.

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:49.999
Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir.

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:54.999
So you haven’t got just for tuning here.
Tom, I want to come by and talk but…

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:59.999
but where are we with
this thing on Wal-Mart.

00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:04.999
WalMart’s got as many attorneys as they
need. They’ve been through the same thing

00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:09.999
a hundred times or thousand times,
how many WalMarts there are.

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:14.999
And so I think the air benefit is still. But, you
know, Tom the… the thing that concerns me is just

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:19.999
the… the somewhat poisonous atmosphere
that this thing is developing

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:24.999
and… and the lack of recognition

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:29.999
for giving WalMart affair hearing.
I think that umm… from information

00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:34.999
I’ve been getting from everyone means,
most of the people are not necessarily

00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:39.999
anti WalMart but they are
umm… How do you put it?

00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:44.999
They’re like, there’s 18 miles down the
road, why do we need another one for?

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:49.999
Just not… I’m not convinced of what the majority is and of course
we’re not running the town meeting sort of government anyhow,

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:54.999
if we got to make our own decision. I have mixed feelings,
I’m glad that there’s citizen involvement, participation,

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:59.999
but on the other side I
wonder if that, you know,

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:04.999
and this is a paranoid side of me speaking, or are
they more or less that I’m not doing a good job.

00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:09.999
[sil.]

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:14.999
Tada! What’s that? I think it’s great.
Looks like a flamingo to me. Well, Mary.

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:19.999
Yeah. They are at the church last Sunday,
that Jim Moore brought up the fact

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:24.999
that we shouldn’t be passionate
about our issue with our town.

00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:29.999
And we’re allowed to passionate
about our children in crime issues.

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:34.999
In defense of what we feel is right, but we can’t be passionate
about an issue concerning our town. And it just brought,

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:39.999
it just seemed curious to me that our
council members have that attitude.

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:44.999
Hey, Jeff, how are you? Are you
ready for tonight’s meeting?

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:49.999
Yeah, I’ve got the quality of life
peace and you’re covering traffic.

00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:54.999
Are you ready?

00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:59.999
Can you wing it?

00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:04.999
Tonight finally the Planning
Commission is voting on the issue.

00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:09.999
And it also ranked it as the sixth
most admired company in America.

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:14.999
We have tried valuably… This is Jay Weinberg’s
fourth WalMart case and he hasn’t lost one yet.

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:19.999
But tonight, things aren’t going his way.
Everyone from the public who got up to speak

00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:24.999
basically said the same thing.
A shopping center as big as

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:29.999
all the stores in Ashland combined is just
too big for the town. That we already have.

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:34.999
I’ll be happy to… to make a motion to
recommend denial of the (inaudible).

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:39.999
The Planning Commission, one by one agree.
Mrs. (inaudible).

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:44.999
Aye. Mrs. Burruss. Aye.

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:49.999
Okay, thank you very much. I just like
to say that I’m probably gonna make

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:54.999
the whole lot of people here
tonight happy with my vote.

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:59.999
But at the same time I am
scared to death of you.

00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:04.999
Think that emotions and lot
of unrealistic emotions

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:09.999
had played a big part in this combined effort. And
I’ll be very frank with you, I can look down out,

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:15.000
I can see a I can leech mall.

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:24.999
That comment showed me that this WalMart issue
was creating really deep divisions in this town.

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:29.999
See, we’ve got the born
here’s and the come here’s.

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:34.999
And the born here’s and the come here’s think they know what’s best for the
town. The come here’s say they’re just participating in the democratic process.

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:39.999
We won the first of…

00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:44.999
Well, I am afraid it might be many (inaudible).
And… and we’re going to celebrate tonight

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:49.999
umm… but not too long. It’s your town.

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:54.999
Yeah, I… I… I am a little… we’re…
we’re all kind of wandering

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:59.999
when is the next application going to come.

00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:04.999
[sil.]

00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:09.999
[music]

00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:14.999
We barely recovered from
Christmas and New Year’s,

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:19.999
when the town receives a new application.
It’s got fewer stores around the WalMart.

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:24.999
They are willing to pay for new roads enough maybe
to ease the growing traffic problems we’re having.

00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:29.999
What can I say? It is a
more attractive proposal.

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:34.999
[music]

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:39.999
[music]

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:44.999
I think it’s fair to say this is round two.

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:49.999
In some areas you’re welcomed with open arms and other areas
there is neighborhood opposition or public opposition

00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:54.999
uh… and you simply have
to tailor the case to…

00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:59.999
to make it as acceptable
as you possibly can.

00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:04.999
But we find that if you pick the right
location and if you handle the traffic

00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:09.999
it’s esthetically pleasing. Uh…
You should… You should prevail.

00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:14.999
The new proposal touched on all the
issues of the citizens concerns.

00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:19.999
But definitely solve anything.
But no, the… the…

00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.999
The basic issues remain the same.
If they’re offering to paint

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:29.999
a green and tan instead of blue, red and grey, and may… And turn
it in a different direction. Turn it in a different direction

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:34.999
and maybe add a gable or two or something.
It’s just a big giant box in a new outfit

00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:39.999
and just roll on a party dress.

00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:48.000
[sil.]

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:54.999
Well, my title is Director of Community
Affairs with WalMart stores.

00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:59.999
And one things I… I enjoy thoroughly is the
chance to meet with these communities,

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:04.999
communities that may have questions about a
new WalMart store that’s being proposed.

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:13.000
[sil.]

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:19.999
Ashland, well, it’s… it’s a very
attractive site for several reasons

00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:24.999
and attracting market for several reasons.
You have the visibility

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:29.999
and the accessibility from
the Interstate 95 which is

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:34.999
a tremendously high volume of highway

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:39.999
that brings literally thousands of
people right by the site every day.

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:44.999
[sil.]

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:49.999
We have conducted a marketing survey,

00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:54.999
a phone survey in the town of
Ashland to try to assess of

00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:59.999
what real issues are important to people.
Uh… One of the claims

00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:04.999
that we’ve heard so far was that even
if a WalMart comes in and employs 350.

00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:09.999
Associates in this community, those jobs will be low
paying, dead end jobs that we don’t need in the community.

00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:14.999
Again that’s another inaccurate statement.

00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:19.999
And people don’t realize that
until we come forward and…

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:24.999
and tell them we try to do that in a
more informational type of a venue.

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:29.999
Yes, professor Barnes, how are you today.

00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:34.999
I’m doing fine, how are you? Oh, I’m great, my name’s
Bill Artili(ph) and I live in Ashland Virginia

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:39.999
and I was curious, WalMart has
an ad in our local newspaper

00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:44.999
and I quote your study, a 1995
study conducted by researchers

00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:49.999
at the University of Massachusetts,
Dartmouth, found that a WalMart presence

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:54.999
stimulates business for local merchants. Umm… That’s
not the case, umm… is that… is that what your ad read?

00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:59.999
What’s… What’s more of those retailers experienced
an even greater increase during the second year.

00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:04.999
Okay, they’re not simply not true. Umm… Are you
serious, WalMart is using my stuff in an ad?

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:09.999
Yes, ma’am. I’m very serious, it’s in
the Richmond Times Dispatch. Seriously.

00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:14.999
Seriously. Well, I… I’m
shocked to hear that.

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:19.999
The quotes that you read are not a
reflection of the findings of that study.

00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:24.999
Despite their claims, we found that they had
virtually no effect on employment levels.

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:29.999
Most of their employees are part time employees, and
so there really wasn’t any significant help with

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:34.999
uh… the appointment situation.

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:39.999
[sil.]

00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.999
Keith Morris. (inaudible). (inaudible).
Tom Herbert. Tom, Keith Morris.

00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:49.999
Pleasure to meet you. Me too. WalMart has
taken a real interest in us this time around.

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:54.999
They’re running TV commercials and this
is the third full page ad in our paper

00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:59.999
which is covering the issue extensively. Why
don’t you talk about umm… some of the positives

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:04.999
that you feel that… that WalMart would bring
Ashland, some of the positive things.

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:09.999
Well, the obvious benefits
right off the front

00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:14.999
Umm… 350 new jobs.

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:19.999
About 70% would need to be fulltime positions
to run the store. What is… What is fulltime?

00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:24.999
At least, has to be at
least 28 hours a week.

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:29.999
Where does that the 28 hour come in?

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:34.999
That’s… that’s a number that’s there, it’s a minimum, that’s it. Not trying to pin you
down but I guess I am trying to pin you down because a lot of people are curious about it,

00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:39.999
and a lot of questions. Yeah, so the
fulltime. That’s the way to put it.

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:44.999
Okay, we’re saying 70% would be fulltime. And
fulltime is…? That’s not… That doesn’t mean

00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:49.999
that 70% of people in the store
are working 28 hours a week.

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:54.999
We’re saying fulltime at 40
hours a week, 70%. Okay, okay.

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:59.999
(inaudible).

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:04.999
Close to one million people work at WalMart, making it the
largest employer in the country after the Federal Government.

00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:09.999
Most employees are considered fulltime
and are eligible for benefits.

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:14.999
But many of them actually work as little as 28 hours a
week. They take home on average less than $250 a week

00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:19.999
and cannot afford the
health insurance package.

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:24.999
The turnover is so high that Wal-Mart has to
hire half a million new employees each year

00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:29.999
to replenish its workforce
and to staff new stores.

00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:34.999
WalMart’s labor practices have become the
standard in the discount retail industry.

00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:39.999
[sil.]

00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:44.999
Hi, guys. You want to sign this petition
it’s to stop the WalMart coming?

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:49.999
Yeah, right there. You don’t like
WalMart either? Okay. If you want to…?

00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:58.000
[music]

00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:09.999
Say Rockin’ Roosters, come here too.
In my hometown.

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:14.999
[music]

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:19.999
Yes, sir. My husband works for WalMart. He’s worked for
WalMart for 10 years. My daughter works for WalMart,

00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:24.999
she’s been with them one year.
We’re in a certain budget

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:29.999
and I can go to WalMart and get
everything I need for that price range.

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:34.999
I like the one stop shopping because my
life is very busy and I like to go in,

00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:39.999
if I need a shirt or if I need a top box or
something, I can go in and get it all at one place.

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:44.999
You can say what you need to say.

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:49.999
You don’t need to bring a pink flamingos,
you don’t need to be out there protesting,

00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:54.999
you’re just teaching ugliness. The coffee shop
flamingo, I like this, but I love Starbucks.

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:59.999
I would love to see Starbucks up here.

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:04.999
[music]

00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:13.000
[sil.]

00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:19.999
Street Demonstrations, Ashland
hasn’t seen anything like this.

00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:24.999
The southern ways you talk gentle to your neighbours.
You’re going to see him in church the next day.

00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:29.999
Casual emotion is important but you have
to temper it with reason and logic.

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:34.999
Passionate emotion gives
you the French Revolution.

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:39.999
Uh… Passion and emotion doesn’t
allow you to think through issues.

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:44.999
I wonder about the group’s motives. Some of
the opposition has resorted to sheer tactics

00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:49.999
on attempt really to

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:54.999
uh… to create some hysteria.

00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:59.999
And there are some real, real concerns,
real considerations about this project.

00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:04.999
And I think the project
ought to be evaluated

00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:09.999
on those concerns rather than on
recruiting large numbers of people

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:14.999
and waving the most pink… pink flamingos.

00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:19.999
If you want to really hear
what old Ashland has to say,

00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:24.999
hook up any morning with Bobby
Parker from the Planning Commission,

00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:29.999
as he and other old timers gather at Hardy’s
by the Interstate. But I’m not sure

00:40:30.000 --> 00:40:34.999
that it is a role of government
to regulate competition.

00:40:35.000 --> 00:40:39.999
I felt whole lot of both heat
and we will probably take

00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:44.999
and council will probably
and ultimately take.

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:49.999
Yeah, I think you want to prove… Because it’s going to be off the heart to please
everybody. Oh, yeah. There’s no question about that. You’re not gonna please everybody. No.

00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:54.999
Tonight, WalMart’s representatives will present a skilled down
version of a plan to put a WalMart store here in Ashland.

00:40:55.000 --> 00:40:59.999
Some residents here in Ashland…
Tonight’s votes by Planning Commission

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:04.999
will go to town council for the final
decision. Annual tax revenues after expenses

00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:09.999
will exceed a net of $110,000
per year for the town.

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:14.999
The rezoning is in complete compliance

00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:19.999
with the town’s comprehensive plan and in
fact makes for a more efficient traffic plan.

00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:24.999
What is the difference between
20 stores lined up one by one

00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:29.999
or a WalMart?

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:34.999
It’s the interior walls,
that’s the only difference.

00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:39.999
The money our business generates, it’s in our local bank and it’s
recycled, it buys Ashland homes, Ashland cars, it finances educations

00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:44.999
and it serves local businesses.
Research actually shows

00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:49.999
the money is typically recycled four to five times
locally. WalMart monies go directly to Arkansas.

00:41:50.000 --> 00:41:54.999
They don’t talk about that
in their economic reports.

00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:59.999
WalMart has brought us a number of different proposals. They
should have started in the beginning speaking straight with us,

00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:04.999
they’re still not speaking straight with
us. Sixty five people spoke tonight

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:09.999
and only three supported WalMart. When
I have to get batteries for my ears,

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:14.999
I have to go to Henrico

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:19.999
because WalMart is the
only store that has it

00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:24.999
and I only hope to God
that they’ll get here.

00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:29.999
Okay. But I want to reassure her

00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:34.999
that she came to Cross Brothers. I was a Cross Brothers
customer. I would get her that battery if here…

00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:39.999
If I had to go…

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:44.999
I’ll get it for you your
WaltMart nearer to you.

00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:49.999
You’re hired at WalMart fulltime, you work 28
hours, you get dental and health insurance.

00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:54.999
How many businesses here can provide that?
Low pay, no way.

00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:59.999
It’s time to take the pink flamingos
and the negativity eliminates

00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:04.999
and let’s make some pink lemonade out of this and have
some refreshing start. Four million dollars whatever it is

00:43:05.000 --> 00:43:09.999
that they’re proffering for internal roads,
will build a nice new road to their front door.

00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:14.999
You and we the citizens are being
asked to permanently change

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:19.999
the character of this town.

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:24.999
I believe the character of this town is priceless. And
at this time I’d like for the affiants to come back and,

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:29.999
you know, give us (inaudible).
I was called in

00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:34.999
by the staff to say we want to not a
stoplight here, will you give it?

00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:39.999
We don’t think $150,000 is enough,

00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:44.999
we want $350,000. Will you give it?

00:43:45.000 --> 00:43:49.999
We have said yes to literally every request

00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:54.999
that was made or suggested to us.
Okay, we now bring it back

00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:59.999
to the Planning Commission for discussion.
I… I have looked into the money right much

00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:04.999
in the last few days and it’s just not a whole
lot of money out there for road construction.

00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:09.999
If we don’t rely on
profits from developers,

00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:14.999
why is the money coming from to
alleviate all of these problems

00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:19.999
that… that we have here? Yes, I agree
it’s hard to find road money somewhere

00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:24.999
but, it just doesn’t make sense. We are
basically telling all smaller businesses

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:29.999
that don’t have three or four million dollars to build
a road that they can’t come to this town. I move that,

00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:34.999
the commission and just council
with recommendation for approval.

00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:39.999
I’ve a motion to have a second. Second.

00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:44.999
Her motion to second. Roll call please.

00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:49.999
[sil.] (inaudible). Aye. (inaudible).

00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:54.999
Aye. (inaudible).

00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:59.999
No. Burrus. Aye.

00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:04.999
Aye. Four ayes, one no.

00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:09.999
Motion is recommend approval to council.
Yeah, yeah. Migrated out there.

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:14.999
So you think that these stores are going to survive WalMart, is
that what you are hoping. We are not seeing anything. It’s changed.

00:45:15.000 --> 00:45:19.999
Where do you buy clothes on the downtown?
I have a car,

00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:24.999
I can drive 10 minutes away and go to
the WalMart. Ashland will survive.

00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:29.999
I am so happy. Thank you. It has been
a very well orchestrated campaign

00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:34.999
to dismiss the citizen’s
right to be involved.

00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:39.999
We can’t stop Mayor. No.

00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:44.999
It’s time to get mean.

00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:49.999
[music]

00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:54.999
Now that the decision is in the hands of town council members,
the Flamingos are lobbying each and every one of them.

00:45:55.000 --> 00:45:59.999
Shall I. Yes, please. There you go.

00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:04.999
Look at that beautiful color. Hey, good to see you, Mary. Hey, (inaudible).
Nice to see you. When you say, John coming. Hey, Jim, how are you.

00:46:05.000 --> 00:46:09.999
Thank you. Thanks for having us. You wanna walk around back
maybe, it might be a little cooler. Sure. Okay. So, here.

00:46:10.000 --> 00:46:14.999
We’re getting close to 2,000 signatures
and umm… that counts for a lot.

00:46:15.000 --> 00:46:19.999
Well, I promised uh… myself and
I… I wouldn’t be adversarial

00:46:20.000 --> 00:46:24.999
and… and… and I hope you won’t
take this adversarially.

00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:29.999
If you had to have signature by everybody in Ashland, every voter
in Ashland, who asked me to do something. I thought was not right,

00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:34.999
I wouldn’t do it. I mean, I would… I think it’s fair to say
that each person has their own feeling about what Ashland is.

00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:39.999
So how do we decide?

00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:44.999
What is it that we’re trying to save and not change? I think
when you read that, it’ll suck the life right out of Ashland.

00:46:45.000 --> 00:46:49.999
I think you can… you can hear in
that, that they’re scared to death,

00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:54.999
that their small town’s going to die. That is
not a fact to me. But we’re losing something

00:46:55.000 --> 00:46:59.999
that will never get back. But I
think it’s the economic machine

00:47:00.000 --> 00:47:04.999
that… that drives things and we
can as a government and citizens,

00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:09.999
we can try to guide it. I think it’s the
people, that are the heart that drives things.

00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:14.999
Yeah, that’s true but you… you know, you uh… there’s,
you know, who know… who knows it’s different,

00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:19.999
maybe a different philosophy.

00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:24.999
[music]

00:47:25.000 --> 00:47:29.999
The one town councilman who says publicly that he
wants WalMart to come to town is Franklin Jackson.

00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:34.999
A pretty good idea just to have

00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:39.999
umm… an increase and availability of employment. Well, my
opposition to WalMart umm… I would love to see WalMart coming

00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:44.999
umm… I think it will bring
variety of products they have

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:49.999
that will still (inaudible). I
think you get better service.

00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:54.999
Uh… It’ll create more jobs for younger
mom, teenagers and middleclass people.

00:47:55.000 --> 00:47:59.999
Actually they will, because I stayed in a
people. Everybody doesn’t have a master degree.

00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:04.999
So this will create some jobs for them.

00:48:05.000 --> 00:48:09.999
[sil.] There’s a couple of
people on the town council

00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:14.999
who are definitely for WalMart, a couple
of people who are definitely against it.

00:48:15.000 --> 00:48:19.999
A couple of months ago I would have thought they might
go in our favor, now I’m… I’m less sure of that.

00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:24.999
The mayor has been in my own store
talking to me for hours on end,

00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:29.999
telling me both sides of defence.

00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:34.999
My wife and my sister have
gone and had church meetings

00:48:35.000 --> 00:48:39.999
and other types of meetings at the uh… the
coffee shop and… and some of the stuff

00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:44.999
that I’ve heard said about me, uh… gives
me the implication that I’m not welcome.

00:48:45.000 --> 00:48:49.999
[sil.]

00:48:50.000 --> 00:48:54.999
The buzz around town is that Tommy
is negotiating with WalMart,

00:48:55.000 --> 00:48:59.999
that he’s saying he’ll vote for them but they got
to pay for another left turn lane and a stoplight.

00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:04.999
It’s my job to get the best deal for the
town. I’ve looked over the proposal.

00:49:05.000 --> 00:49:09.999
I’ve had a few other requests that I believe
are important to a successful project.

00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:14.999
If they meet those demands,

00:49:15.000 --> 00:49:19.999
I think WalMart has… stands a good
chance to be a community asset.

00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:24.999
If they don’t, they won’t.

00:49:25.000 --> 00:49:29.999
Before town council can vote on the
issue, it has to face its own elections.

00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:34.999
For the Flamingos, the elections
may be the last chance

00:49:35.000 --> 00:49:39.999
to keep the WalMart train
from stopping in Ashland.

00:49:40.000 --> 00:49:44.999
In the past sometimes we’ve even
forgotten to hold elections.

00:49:45.000 --> 00:49:49.999
Umm… I’ve run for council uh… won
once, lost once and umm… (inaudible)

00:49:50.000 --> 00:49:54.999
it’s even hard to get your friends to come and vote.
This time on the other hand, everybody is talking

00:49:55.000 --> 00:49:59.999
about the election. Unquestionably
the… the WalMart issue has stoked

00:50:00.000 --> 00:50:04.999
or has fired up an election in a
highly charged emotional setting,

00:50:05.000 --> 00:50:09.999
an election where many people are at
each other’s throats if not in public

00:50:10.000 --> 00:50:14.999
then… then certainly
behind each other’s backs.

00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:19.999
Tommy is running against the Flamingo
candidates. In a public forum he said,

00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:24.999
\"I think WalMart is just great. We can
lure the Yankees off the interstate.\"

00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:29.999
I am running for re-election, I’m begging you to come
out and vote, May 2nd. Well, you got any questions,

00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:34.999
complaints or comments? No. What do you think about
the WalMart though? Don’t get me started on that.

00:50:35.000 --> 00:50:39.999
I don’t like it. I don’t want WalMart.

00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:44.999
Well, it’s not an issue of
what I want either and…

00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:53.000
[music]

00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:04.999
All right, the polls are now
officially closed. Polls are closed.

00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:09.999
WHAN Action.

00:51:10.000 --> 00:51:14.999
In an election punctuated
by the WalMart issue,

00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:19.999
really a high voter turn out yesterday.
And sort of a surprising result,

00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:24.999
Mayor Tom Herbert was not
re-elected to council.

00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:29.999
Look I know what it’s like to lose an election in
Ashland. You can’t help but take it personally.

00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:34.999
So I feel for Tommy. He
will now have to decide

00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:39.999
if he and his lame duck town council
should make the decision about WalMart.

00:51:40.000 --> 00:51:44.999
The Flamingos are asking to defer the decision to the New
Town Council, which will be less sympathetic to WalMart.

00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:49.999
You see we’re in this weird twilight
moment when the outgoing town council

00:51:50.000 --> 00:51:54.999
is still in power.

00:51:55.000 --> 00:51:59.999
[sil.]

00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:04.999
[music]

00:52:05.000 --> 00:52:09.999
Tonight WalMart is on the town council
agenda. If they vote, it will be final

00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:14.999
and the next town council will not be able to
repeal it. It’s decision time for the council.

00:52:15.000 --> 00:52:19.999
We’re covering all the,

00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:24.999
you know, crossing all the \"T\"s dotting all
the \"ayes,\" working through this process.

00:52:25.000 --> 00:52:29.999
It’s about two hours before the meeting
starts. People in our group are upset

00:52:30.000 --> 00:52:34.999
and… and umm… kind of wandering around a
little bit lost or maybe a little bit frantic.

00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:39.999
In the midst of this fight over WalMart,

00:52:40.000 --> 00:52:44.999
we have seen some of the best in town because
we’ve seen how articulate the town can be,

00:52:45.000 --> 00:52:49.999
but I also think it’s… it’s shown
us what is the worst among us too.

00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:54.999
I think we’ve… Did… did we put a television
out side? There is a television…

00:52:55.000 --> 00:52:59.999
We’ve lived now through a year of
discord and tonight it’s at a peak.

00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:04.999
Arguments in the hallway almost
degenerate into fist fights.

00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:09.999
Vice Mayor Attkisson went to the hospital
today to have his heart checked.

00:53:10.000 --> 00:53:14.999
And may we treat one another as family who are
united as children of you, our loving creator.

00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:19.999
Hear this our prayers, we seek to be your
faithful witnesses in our words and actions,

00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:24.999
this night and always, amen.

00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:29.999
Amen. I would move that
this issue be deferred

00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:34.999
and I feel that this lame duck council should
not impose its will on the incoming one

00:53:35.000 --> 00:53:39.999
which will have to face all these issues.
I think it’s unfair to the townspeople.

00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:44.999
Is there a second to the motion?

00:53:45.000 --> 00:53:49.999
There is no second to the
motion, the motion fails.

00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:54.999
I have approved the request
application in the following language

00:53:55.000 --> 00:53:59.999
whereas Richland limited partnership

00:54:00.000 --> 00:54:04.999
has proposed to rezone 11…

00:54:05.000 --> 00:54:09.999
11.08 acres of land. Council has determined

00:54:10.000 --> 00:54:14.999
that the project will result in a
positive improvement for the town.

00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:19.999
Now therefore be it resolved that the
town council does here by approving

00:54:20.000 --> 00:54:24.999
the rezoning request. We
have a motion on the floor.

00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:29.999
Is there a second?

00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:34.999
Umm… Then I will entertain a motion to uh…

00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:39.999
uh… call for the question.

00:54:40.000 --> 00:54:44.999
Mr. Reid? No. Mr. Attkisson?

00:54:45.000 --> 00:54:49.999
Aye. Mr. Herbert? Aye.

00:54:50.000 --> 00:54:54.999
Aye. Aye.

00:54:55.000 --> 00:55:03.000
[sil.]

00:55:05.000 --> 00:55:13.000
[music]

00:55:15.000 --> 00:55:19.999
WalMart will soon break
ground for the new store

00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:24.999
which is expected to bring in sales
of one million dollars a week.

00:55:25.000 --> 00:55:29.999
Downtown merchants are organizing seminars

00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:34.999
on how to survive next to a Megastore.
WalMart has made a $5,000 contribution

00:55:35.000 --> 00:55:40.000
to the group.

00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:04.999
To learn more about Store Wars,

00:56:05.000 --> 00:56:09.999
visit us online at pbs.org.

00:56:10.000 --> 00:56:14.999
To order Store Wars on home video cassette,

00:56:15.000 --> 00:56:19.999
call 1-800-343-5540.

00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:25.000
[music]

00:56:30.000 --> 00:56:34.999
Major funding for Store Wars

00:56:35.000 --> 00:56:39.999
was provided by the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting.

00:56:40.000 --> 00:56:44.999
Additional funding was provided by the California
Council for the Humanities, the funding exchange,

00:56:45.000 --> 00:56:49.999
the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities,
and the Fleishhacker foundation.

00:56:50.000 --> 00:56:55.000
This is PBS.