Bath town board to begin Walmart review
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - The Bath town board Monday is expected to take its first official action relating to a Walmart super store planned for a site along state Route 54.

Town Supervisor Fred Muller last week said board members would review a resolution appointing the town Planning Board lead agency for a state-mandated environmental review process. Muller said he expects board members to approve the appointment.

The action would place the Planning Board in a key position for overall review of the Walmart development. Under terms of the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the board would coordinate a wide range of studies focusing on the environmental impact of a Walmart development, including traffic patterns and storm water drainage.

The SEQR process also allows for public comment through a series of public hearings and opportunities for written comment.

Board members Monday may also get an earful from a group of area residents concerned with the economic impact of a Walmart superstore.

"We're planning to get as many there as possible," said Beth Miller, spokesperson for Bath NY Group. "The town board needs to consider this more deeply, to consider the possible negative impact of Walmart moving in."

Miller's group last week hosted a showing of the movie "High Cost of Low Prices" at the Dormann Library. The movie describes the impact Walmart stores have on the communities in which they operate.

"There's no discussion of how this will impact the local economy," Miller told The Courier last week. "We need to look at utilities, roads, police protection. We want to support the town board to make a wise choice."

Board members meet at 7 p.m. in the municipal building on Liberty Street. An opportunity for public comment is included in the agenda, Muller noted.