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40 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, November 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 14, 2004 Long night likely as city faces decision By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT � City Council members anticipate a long and heated discussion Thursday night when they meet to make a final ruling on a proposed 207,000-square-foot Wal-Mart at the corner of East Pine Street and Hamrick Road. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Crater High School Student Center. Public testimony will be permitted with a time limit to be announced. A Planning Commission meeting last month lasted past midnight, with local officials and residents trailing out after 1 a.m. Mayor Hank Williams, who was working Tuesday on a meeting script, schedule for breaks and a time limit for public testimony, said he expected a similar turnout Thursday to the 200 in attendance last month. Police Chief Mike Sweeny will be on hand, attorneys will ensure proper procedures are followed and council members’ "soft, comfy chairs" from City Council chambers will be transported to the meeting site, Williams said. Advertisement A 120-day state requirement for making a planning decision expires the following day, meaning council members must stay as late as necessary to finish their job, he said. "We will be there, like I told them, as long as it takes," said Williams. Neither Williams nor council members have made public comments in recent months about the project. "They can’t because if it looks like they’ve made up their mind before that meeting, the council’s decision could be overturned and the project could go the other way," he said. "I’ve said publicly, I don’t have anything against Wal-Mart. My concern is traffic and making sure it’s all done legally," Williams added. Wal-Mart spokesperson Eric Berger, recently assigned to the Southern Oregon region for Wal-Mart public affairs, said the Planning Commission had followed fair planning guidelines and correctly interpreted city codes. "Certainly we were pleased with the results of the Planning Commission meeting and that our plan meets city code," Berger said. "We are looking forward to presenting our plan to the City Council. "... I know our customers at our existing stores are very excited about the prospect of having this proposed Supercenter in the Central Point area." Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities