News

June 10, 2009

Wyoming’s focus: Wal-Mart impact study

Council wants Exeter to study how planned business would affect Wyoming Avenue.

B. GARRET ROGAN Times Leader Correspondent

WYOMING – Borough Council passed a motion Tuesday night to request that Exeter Borough conduct an impartial impact study on the likely effects of a proposed Wal-Mart on Wyoming Avenue.

Although Wyoming has no authority over Exeter’s territorial issues, virtually any traffic that heads north to Exeter has to pass through Wyoming.

Council member Michael Baloga said he is concerned that a Wal-Mart on the avenue would be detrimental to Wyoming businesses such as Gerrity’s Supermarket and the Midway Shopping Center, among others.

“There are pros and there are cons to having a Wal-Mart,” Baloga said.

He then pointed out that an increased tax base would be a positive that only Exeter would experience while the surrounding communities would all share negatives such as increased traffic.

The motion to request the impact study passed unanimously among the four council members present. Council Chairman Robert Guilford and council member Michael Flynn were absent.

While he would not speak for the council as a whole, Baloga acknowledged that the body might collectively seek to persuade Exeter officials to refrain from holding any rezoning hearings on the proposed building site until after the impact study is complete.

On that matter Baloga said, “It is very possible, because this is an issue that affects Wyoming residents directly.”

Mayor Robert Boyer said the borough has already formally requested that several municipal street intersections be involved in any traffic studies to be conducted before authorization of any Wal-Mart-related construction.

In other business, council accepted the resignation of zoning solicitor Frank Mazzeo. He will now serve as an alternate on the zoning board. The council expects to replace Mazzeo with attorney Jarret J. Ferentino, although he has not yet officially been hired.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, Boyer awarded Wyoming Police Sgt. Mike Fuller and Exeter Borough EMS responders Jared Jordan and Christina Zborovian letters of commendation for their life-saving actions on May 30.

When a Wyoming resident’s life was threatened by a choking accident, the quick response of the three saved the woman’s life, Boyer said. Fuller was able to resuscitate the victim and keep her stable long enough to allow the Exeter medics to remove the object that was lodged in her throat.

Exeter and Wyoming boroughs share ambulance services.

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