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My town needs a new school, and one of the site's they're looking at is the store. P is betting they want that land for the underground garage (currently used as storage). The ritzy side of town needs a new school more than we do, and there's already a school two blocks away on the main street...what they need is a building that is strictly a middle school (currently they're all K-8). Traffic and congestion on that street would be even worse with cars, city buses, school buses and (if the store remains on the same parcel) delivery trucks most of them trying to get to the same place.
There was an open town meeting last week. I couldn't go because working, but mom managed to get to it. She said that the room was overflowing; they didn't give them the largest meeting room because I doubt they anticipated the opposition. The meeting also wasn't televised on the public access channel which annoyed a LOT of people who weren't able to get there...if I had known in advance they weren't going to televise it I would have given mom my video camera.
90% of those in attendance were against the proposal (there was a grand total of three people pro-school from something called "The Village Project"; they left quickly), and the complainer contingent that we mostly hate actually did some good; one old guy kept shouting "You tell us the truth! You never tell the truth, tell it now!"
(the town has been very vague about all this and can't even give an estimate of the costs or how long they would be without a grocery store if it goes through, it seems that the only studies they've done are school-related). I get that we need a new school, but this store is the only 'full service' grocery in a central location and most of our customers can't spend the time and money on transportation to the major stores or the prices at the other two local stores--neither of which are full grocery stores.
A few of our 'challenged' regulars got up and spoke quite articulately about how the store is a lifeline for them as they don't drive and the store delivers if they get to checkout and discover they bought too much (occasionally if I'm able to get away and I know the regular lives in the immediately-surrounding public housing and doesn't have a ride, I will bring the groceries to their building during the day).
One of the main people to speak against the proposal was the director of the local food bank a few blocks away. The store donates huge amounts of turkeys and trimmings every holiday, as well as 'imperfect' produce on a regular basis and the store and company donates a lot of money so the bank can buy perishable staples or give people vouchers. A large number of our customers are elderly/disabled and don't drive, if the store goes away or closes more people are going to need the food bank but they won't be able to meet demand because the store's gone (and if the store doesn't reopen in a timely manner Corporate may just say "why should we keep donating if we don't have a store here?").
The surveys and plans for the site were very vague; there was talk of mixed-use behind the school (this prompted mom to wonder if people on the offender registry would be barred from shopping due to the proximity to a school).
Interesting for sure. The selectmen want to make a decision by September; whatever happens I'd like to have another job in place by then (if not fulltime, then part-time where I can expand my availability if needed).
There was an open town meeting last week. I couldn't go because working, but mom managed to get to it. She said that the room was overflowing; they didn't give them the largest meeting room because I doubt they anticipated the opposition. The meeting also wasn't televised on the public access channel which annoyed a LOT of people who weren't able to get there...if I had known in advance they weren't going to televise it I would have given mom my video camera.
90% of those in attendance were against the proposal (there was a grand total of three people pro-school from something called "The Village Project"; they left quickly), and the complainer contingent that we mostly hate actually did some good; one old guy kept shouting "You tell us the truth! You never tell the truth, tell it now!"
(the town has been very vague about all this and can't even give an estimate of the costs or how long they would be without a grocery store if it goes through, it seems that the only studies they've done are school-related). I get that we need a new school, but this store is the only 'full service' grocery in a central location and most of our customers can't spend the time and money on transportation to the major stores or the prices at the other two local stores--neither of which are full grocery stores.A few of our 'challenged' regulars got up and spoke quite articulately about how the store is a lifeline for them as they don't drive and the store delivers if they get to checkout and discover they bought too much (occasionally if I'm able to get away and I know the regular lives in the immediately-surrounding public housing and doesn't have a ride, I will bring the groceries to their building during the day).
One of the main people to speak against the proposal was the director of the local food bank a few blocks away. The store donates huge amounts of turkeys and trimmings every holiday, as well as 'imperfect' produce on a regular basis and the store and company donates a lot of money so the bank can buy perishable staples or give people vouchers. A large number of our customers are elderly/disabled and don't drive, if the store goes away or closes more people are going to need the food bank but they won't be able to meet demand because the store's gone (and if the store doesn't reopen in a timely manner Corporate may just say "why should we keep donating if we don't have a store here?").
The surveys and plans for the site were very vague; there was talk of mixed-use behind the school (this prompted mom to wonder if people on the offender registry would be barred from shopping due to the proximity to a school).
Interesting for sure. The selectmen want to make a decision by September; whatever happens I'd like to have another job in place by then (if not fulltime, then part-time where I can expand my availability if needed).
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