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Poway Walmart News

Putting an end to harangues

At every Poway City Council meeting, a few neighbors opposed to the proposed expansion of a 16-year-old Wal-Mart have complained that their concerns are not being addressed, that they are being left out of the system.

It is part of the public comment process at council meetings. Anyone has a maximum three minutes to speak his piece. No need to let facts get in the way. This is the public’s time and the council may only listen.

No matter that even before the environmental report process began on the Poway Wal-Mart these very same people were able to address a public meeting on what they would like to see studied. No matter that the process is still going on, to the greatest of detail, with a draft report due in early 2010.

No matter that the draft will be circulated. Or that neighbors will be given a special meeting of their own to sound off. No matter that all responses to the draft will be considered and addressed by city staff in the final version.

Only then will the environmental report and the project itself go to the council for a vote.

When it became his turn to speak at the end of the Oct. 20 council meeting, Council member Jim Cunningham made a generous offer. He would open his office every two weeks for Wal-Mart opponents to voice their concerns. He would go through channels to seek answers to their questions.

Cunningham has voiced no opinion on the Wal-Mart expansion, nor does he intend to in advance of a council vote. He simply wants to allay citizen frustration, keep accurate information flowing and, maybe, just maybe, free up some time for the council to do its business.

Cunningham, a lawyer who is executive director of the Riverside Sheriffs Association, was elected last November. He has served as a conduit before, to restore civility after a furor over library endowment funds.

We’re quite impressed. So, apparently were the anti-Wal-Mart people who accepted Cunningham’s generous offer. At the last meeting, for the first time, they were silent.