BY PHIL DZIKIY
The Tonawanda News
September 21, 2006 11:31 am
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Residents of North Tonawanda came out in full force Wednesday night to voice their displeasure surrounding the rumors of Wal-Mart coming to the city.
North Tonawanda Mayor Larry Soos read a statement at the beginning of the Common Council meeting, and said he has engaged in general discussions to develop the site, but had no other specific comments.
Residents, however, made many specific comments.
“Yes, North Tonawanda does need tax growth,” one resident said. “But at what expense?”
Kingston Avenue resident Fran Baker wondered if the public was being leveled with on the issue. Kingston Avenue would border the rumored Wal-Mart, which would be located at the former Melody Fair site.
“Are we being talked to straight here?” Baker said. “We want to know the answers, and we want to know what’s going on.”
Other Kingston Avenue residents were concerned about the safety of their children with such a store nearby.
“No offense to everybody else in here, but it’s our backyard,” another Kingston Avenue resident said.
David Wetzel of Kingston Avenue said he isn’t against commerce, but the proposed location for the alleged Wal-Mart would cause terrible traffic problems.
Multiple residents wanted to know if economic and environmental studies would be done regarding the site. Soos confirmed such studies would be done.
Soos will meet with a developer at 10:30 a.m. Friday in his office, but the meeting would not be open to the public, he said. Soos would not confirm whether that developer was with Wal-Mart.
Another topic brought up by residents at the meeting was the recent removal of the mayor’s confidential secretary from the city’s 2007 budget. The position was voted out of the budget by the Common Council.
One resident asked the mayor how he would be affected by not having a secretary.
Soos said he doesn’t have the time to sit around and answer phones as he is out of the office at meetings frequently.
“There’s no way that I can continue doing what I’ve been doing if I don’t have a secretary,” Soos said.
Before the meeting, photos of former mayors Mary Kabasakalian, David Burgio and Ronald Dawson were unveiled in city hall, joining photos of the other former city mayors. Kabasakalian and Burgio were present for the unveiling.
Contact Phil Dzikiy at 693-1000, Ext. 114.
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