[StBernard] Wal-Mart

[Westley Annis]

Last July I wrote to the EVP in charge of WalMart's Operations and received
a very professional telephone call where he stated that it is WalMart's
intention to return to St. Bernard  as a SuperWalMart, including the grocery
store, pharmacy, and auto center, in the same location as was prior to the
storm "once the temporary hospital" were relocated from the parking lot.
Their position then, and has been reported, still is "that they want the
parish officials and residents to determine what is best - for the
hospital/clinic to remain where it is, in which case WalMart will continue
to consider other options, or to remove the hospital trailers and allow the
store to make its repairs to the store and the parking lot, for a reopening
in mid-to-late 2009.
 
WalMart has already factored into its analysis the 40% drop in parish
residents, with the largest concentration coming from the Arabi area, and
the 88% drop in 9th ward residents.  WalMart management still believes that
they will be more profitable by having the entire store, grocery, pharmacy,
and auto repair included.
 
I would rather see WalMart open again contributing to the parish's tax
revenue, and have those in need of medical services do as I have had to do
several times this past year:  go to East Jefferson in Kenner,  Tulane,
Touro ,(or possibly the new Ochsner Baptist), until a new Hospital is built
in St. Bernard or New Orleans East reopens Methodist or Lakeland.
 
JFR