Wal Mart

At issue: A special vote on Wal-Mart will include "advisory votes," a fact some say would cloud voters' consideration of the issue. Letting store in will help consumers I am for another big store like Wal-Mart to give competition to Kmart ("Council OKs March vote on Wal-Mart," Sept. 23). It seems that Kmart and Target are the only stores in town, and there's no competition. Kmart doesn't have sales like they used to, so I say give them competition.

DALE HOOVER RESPONDS Schools need repair money now. A yes on Measure I will maximize the district's return on its assets. Do the math: Yes on I raises a conservative $156 million and guarantees qualification for $27 million in state funds. Wal-Mart lease raises only $41 million and does not qualify for $27 million. Taxpayers pay the difference of $115 million. Wal-Mart: one rent increase in 25 years. There are no guaranteed sales taxes.

The Huntington Beach Police Department brought in extra security for last week's City Council meeting on the eve of the election that would decide Measure I, the initiative that ultimately failed to derail the Wal-Mart project. In explaining why the danger was greater than usual, Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Janet Perez looked around alarmingly at the many pieces of wood used by the retailer's opponents to hold up the protest signs. "I didn't want a public meeting with a bunch of pointed sticks," she said.

Eron Ben-Yehuda HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Opponents of a proposed Wal-Mart see a "perfect" solution to their problem now that a private school is showing an interest in purchasing the property where the retailer plans to build. "Lots of us have thought that this is the best use for the site," resident Connie Boardman said. "Wal-Mart doesn't belong there." The Costa Mesa-based Waldorf School of Orange County doesn't want to lease a facility any longer, said Diane Kastner, director of community outreach.

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- A grand jury has dismissed a complaint accusing three council members of a conflict of interest for investing in a bank along with the developer of Wal-Mart -- and Wal-Mart foe Susie Newman said she's not surprised, considering the jury foreman is also an investor. "They're all in bed with each other," said Newman, who filed complaints with the Orange County Grand Jury and the Fair Political Practices Commission. Jury foreman Phil Inglee would not discuss the deliberation, which must be kept confidential.

Andrew Wainer Ocean View School District Supt. James Tarwater on Tuesday presented the board of trustees two financial options on how to use the district's closed Crest View school site. Tarwater cited a district study showing that the sale of the site to build a Wal-Mart would net it $41 million over a 65-year lease. The other option, selling the land and developing it into a residential zone would bring the city and the district far less -- $7.5 million, according to the study.

Eron Ben-Yehuda With voters possibly deciding the future of the controversial Wal-Mart project, one councilman at Tuesday's council meeting saw an opportunity to get their opinion on other hot button issues. City Councilman Dave Garofalo proposed to survey the public at the voting booth on issues such as how to pay for the city's infrastructure and library needs as well as people's interest in creating an "urban forest." "It would help us govern better," he said.

1961 -- Crest View school opened. June 1991 -- Board of trustees for Ocean View School District approved closing campus because of decline in student enrollment. May 1992 -- Crest View officially declared surplus property for lease or sale. At this time, a district committee began the process of looking for developers and pursuing long-term lease options. June 1992 -- Crest View closed. February 1994 -- More than 20 developers submitted applications to build on property.