Will Wal Mart destroy an NSS Owned Cave???

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Postby ken hill » Nov 3, 2005 9:37 pm

Buford,
The veracity of Wal-Mart's aggressive posture can be read in many a newspaper from communities all across the nation where Wal-Mart developed sites.

Regarding legal action, all I have ever stated is that to ensure that the NSS takes the correct course of action, a consultation with an attorney is advisable. If at a later time legal action is our only unfortunate option it then can be undertaken swiftly without shopping for counsel and bringing them up to speed. This might also be a good time to put a conservation easement on the NSS land so as to set a good example as well as protect our asset.

I know from my past dealings with you that you are a workaholic when it comes to these matters. Publishing a weekly update will go a long way to make sure that all our efforts are on track, well advised and coordinated.

Later,
/Ken
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Postby Ron Fulcher » Nov 4, 2005 12:18 am

Ken and Cindy,

I know I probably left you and the board with the opinion that I hate Wal-Mart. The fact is I just hate what they have become since Sam Walton passed away. He is one of those figures I looked at as a business leader and of sound American moral value. Under his leadership Wal-Mart was pushing the made in America philosophy but, since he has passed their focus switched to mega mall attitude filled with made in China junk. They gave up the philosophy that got them through forty years of business and now tell American Manufacturers to go to China to be one of their suppliers. Off topic I know but, I just wanted to explain my ranting a bit on that point.

Ron
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Postby Cindy Butler » Nov 15, 2005 6:29 am

Hey Ron, There are plenty of Wal Mart haters in Alachua. Personally if they were not building over a cave I would be happy to see them in the City of Alachua. I'm going to a local activitst meeting tonight for a group trying to stop them for economic reasons. I hope to get a chance to show the video I have of the cave. I am a strong supporter of making the public aware of caves. This is a prime example that secrecy on some of these cave locations just will not work in the rapid development of Florida. We need to get the community vested and protect caves before it gets to this point in the future. Cindy Butler
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Postby Cindy Butler » Nov 15, 2005 10:12 pm

Just back from High Springs. The film on Wal Mart was an eye opener. Several interesting things the NSS should consider. Wal Mart stores it's chemicals outdoors. One Conservation group had to sue Wal Mart to get them to store the chemicals correctly. The damage had already been done by then. I truly do not believe that the NSS will get anyplace trying to deal with Wal Mart and keep them honest. This needs to be stopped BEFORE it gets build over the cave. Suwanee River Water Management has to give them permits, they also have the right to ask for further environmental studies before construction. The study Wal Mart did of the site said nothing about an underwater cave. Please contact SRWM and tell them if you are concerned. Their number is 386-361-1001. Why we are allowing one greedy little City to destroy a cave and possibly affect the health of another City is beyond me. I am personally in the process of writing letter to the local papers, the local and state Agencies. Please pick up the phone and just do something. Sending a "strongly worded letter" to Wal Mart has historically NOT worked and will not do so now. Cindy Butler
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Postby ken hill » Nov 15, 2005 11:04 pm

Cindy,
I have said all along that the NSS needs to have a legal posture and a plan. Was Buford at the meeting or any of the members of his team?

Wal-Mart is a formidable opponent and they do not take "no" for an
answer. To put it in context, the Marine Corps' 2005 budget was $15.7 billion, not counting the additional $8.3 billion reserved for combat operations in the mid-east and SW Asia. By comparison, Wal-Mart had 2005 revenues of $288 billion.

The importance of involvement of a national organization cannot be emphasized enough. It must defend its conservation principles and promulgate sensible environmental land use. To put a team out to keep an eye on what's going on is all right but lets find out who is doing what and coordinate our efforts. Anything less than that will surely see this store get built over the cave leaving the NSS to do a damage assessment afterwards. That is not my idea of conservation.

/Ken
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Postby Cindy Butler » Nov 16, 2005 5:42 am

I was the only person there that knew anything about the cave. After I talked one women come up and give me Wes Skiles phone number so I could call him and have him fix the problem. When I talked to the BOD of the CDS they told me he had already been contacted.

The only effective tool I have right now is the media and a few contacts. I am going to work on making the general public aware of the situation.

I am over listening to people say that this is a done deal when the ground has not been broken for this store. Wal Mart isn't god. Cindy Butler
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Postby Ron Fulcher » Nov 16, 2005 10:16 am

Hi Cindy,

Was that the latest film about Wal-Mart? They have put together a counter to this preaching the great things they do for the communities. Frontline on PBS had a 2 hour documentary about Wal-Mart that was very enlightening.

They are very concerned with a possible turn in public opinion, and I encourage you to keep up the involvement with the community itself. Ours is but a small voice in the crowd but, joined with other causes it rises to a deafening scream!

Ron Fulcher
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Postby Cindy Butler » Nov 16, 2005 7:19 pm

Hey, The movie was on Wal Mart. No doubt the one you viewed on TV. I'm not anti Wal Mart, I am anti building over caves. The store they plan is HUGE. Over 290,000 square feet with gas pumps and auto repair. See www. alachuapost.com and look under the article on the questions Wal Mart sent to the City of Alachua. Now that is an eye opener! Cindy :D
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Postby wendy » Jan 7, 2006 11:18 am

http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... /1078/news

a sink hole has opened on the proposed property
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Postby Cindy Butler » Jan 7, 2006 10:00 pm

The sinkhole opened up under the site for the Wal Mart distribution center. Alachua/Mill Creek cave runs under the site that is proposed for the Wal Mart Super Center. The sites are about two miles apart. The site where the Distribution Center is being built is in the middle of a law suit by a group in Alachua who are suing the city for building on fragile Karst lands. Just last month the manager of The City of Alachua came out in the local paper stating that there were no significant sinks or caves on that land and that Wal Mart would continue to build on the site. Wal Mart is not doing anything right now but trying to fill up a sink hole without anyone there to document it.
Several people have made statements that the building on the site that the Alachua/Mill Creek cave runs under will not bother the cave because it runs deep in that area. They don't know the cave and are just looking at maps that show the stated depth in the surveyed area. The cave does have a fissure that most likely commutes to the bottom of a sink on that land. There is a very large room just past the fissure with some fantastic clay formations that will be destroyed if that area is built over. I hope this sink opening up is a wake up call to those people and the City as well as WalMart. Their experts seem to be wrong! Cindy Butler :rofl:
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Postby Limestone Cowboy » Jan 8, 2006 4:27 pm

Thats funny as hell Cindy. Do you know any cave diver pilots? (Hint: I do) Walmart can't do a damn thing to keep you from flying over it to snap a good PR photo....

Drew
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Postby Cindy Butler » Jan 8, 2006 6:22 pm

Hey Drew, The Gainesville Sun would knight you for that photo! Cindy :D
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Postby Limestone Cowboy » Jan 8, 2006 7:38 pm

As much as I'd like to say it was, it's not me I had in mind. Bill Huth is though....

Drew
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Postby Cindy Butler » Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm

Call him up and talk him into it! I know a reporter. My email is butler_cynthia@bellsouth.net Cindy :D
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Postby ken hill » Jan 8, 2006 8:52 pm

Perhaps 2006 will be a great year! /Ken
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