6 MAR 08: PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS
"I can't stand Wal-Mart," a woman admitted to me Wednesday. "Wal-Mart is the devil." Wow, that's a bit harsh. I don't even hear conservative talk show hosts saying that about Barack Obama....
As you might guess, that woman skipped the grand opening of the Wal-Mart SuperCenter on Airport Thruway Wednesday. And she had more supporters than I realized - as a picket line was set up outside the store for parts of the day. But surprisingly, they were NOT all employees of the old HQ store.
Employees of Abney Grading and Paving set up a picket along Airport Thruway, claiming Wal-Mart owes them more than $600,000 for paving the SuperCenter parking lot. But there's one big problem here. Wal-Mart's "markdown" prices are so low that it could take months to raise the money.
The complaint by Abney Grading and Paving really is aimed in several directions. A company statement says the city of Columbus ordered it to change its route for delivering materials last April, to prevent road damage. Take that, you skeptics - we need some of the one-percent sales tax for streets, because local trucks simply are too heavy.
Abney Grading and Paving claims a change in the route of its trucks led to a "much higher cost" in paving the Wal-Mart parking lot. When WILL someone come up with a hybrid flatbed truck, which gets more than ten miles per gallon?
Abney Grading and Paving claims Wal-Mart and Bowen Construction agreed to the change in route, and agreed to be billed for the higher cost. But apparently the payment has yet to be made - so the company has switched from paving to grading, and giving all sides a D-minus.
Abney Grading and Paving blames Wal-Mart more than anyone else for this. It quotes Bowen Construction employees, who say Wal-Mart has delayed the approval of other late changes in construction projects. So? It could be worse - and Wal-Mart could have brought in paving contractors from China.
The paving work on the Airport Thruway SuperCenter was finished January 11. Now Abney Grading and Paving wants its extra money, and that only seems fair. Companies can't leave parking lots asphalt-black, then wind up in the red for doing it.
A Wal-Mart manager argued Wednesday this matter is NOT the company's problem. He said Bowen Construction was hired as the SuperCenter's contractor, so that's where the complaint really lies. But then again, plenty of critics say that last sentence is backwards - and Wal-Mart lies about complaints.
Abney Grading and Paving planned to have a picket line set up for the Wal-Mart grand opening ceremony Wednesday - but an employee admitted to me it was taken down for several hours, at the store's request. Apparently some sort of on-the-spot negotiation took place, which fell through. Better a collapse in the store, than have roads collapsing around Airport Thruway.
I don't know if Abney Grading and Paving plans to continue this picket line in the coming days. It may have been only an opening-day "informational" protest - and the only lines future shoppers will have to cross will be the fundraising tables around the front door.
By the way, my Wednesday mail had an oversized postcard reminding me about the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter on Airport Thruway. But I couldn't help noticing the mailing address on it: "One Targeting Centre" in Connecticut. If this means a merger with Target is near, the comparisons with the devil might increase.
BLOG CORRECTION: We thank a reader with a city mailbox for setting things straight, from Tuesday's Columbus Council meeting:
It wasn't Bill Madison -- it was Edward DuBose who spoke to Council about the sales tax issue. Mr. DuBose is president of the state NAACP.
Aha -- so civil rights activists across the entire state are against the public safety sales tax?! We're overdue for another big "justice march" in Columbus. But then again, maybe the marchers will bring in enough money in hotel-motel taxes that the sales tax won't be necessary.
On a day when there wasn't much to joke about in the local news, we found a few things....
+ The Ledger-Enquirer reported the 12th Street water tower downtown has been repainted in silver, as part of the Eagle and Phenix Mills transformation. I'm sorry, but this strikes me as plain and boring. Why isn't the tower purple, to match the downtown B.I.D. staff shirts? And why doesn't it display flashing electronic ads for Fountain City Coffee?
+ Students on spring break from the University of Notre Dame worked on a "Fuller Center" house in Cusseta. So they come to our area in March to work - then come back for S.O.A. Watch weekend in November to play.
+ The Atlanta Falcons released quarterback Joey Harrington. He was signed as insurance for Michael Vick - and now he's been replaced by former insurance salesman Chris Redman.
+ Instant Message to Auburn Network sportscaster Rod Bramlett: C'mon now -- why do you think the crowd for men's basketball "senior night" Wednesday was so small? Didn't you hear or read any news during the day? Didn't they stop for a memorial moment of silence, before tipoff -- or did that only occur when Auburn players shot free throws?
This blog has thousands of visits every month, from Columbus and around the world. To advertise to them, offer a story tip or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 781 (+ 25, 3.3%)
TRUDGE REPORT, DAY 3: 2.05 miles run, 0.2 walked. Total: 10.9 miles run, 0.95 walked
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.