Hate Wal Mart? The alternative could be worse...

Jay

Jay

the fool on the hill
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Messages
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Location
Aurora, IL
Walt Neidlinger spent years trying to keep a Wal-Mart-anchored shopping complex from being built near his Wind Gap home.

The traffic would have been suffocating for their little community, neighbors argued, so when the massive retailer and its partners packed up their plans and left Plainfield Township last year, Neidlinger was ecstatic. He figured he'd wait for the next plan to come along and remembers thinking, ''What could be worse than Wal-Mart?''

Over the past year, Neidlinger says, he's gotten an answer: RPM Recycling -- the metal-shredding plant on the same land -- causes daily noise that sounds like a freight train rumbling down the street, and frequent explosions that shake his walls.

Last week, a fire at the recycling plant inflamed growing tensions between residents, who say the plant has ruined their neighborhood, and RPM co-owner Nolan A. Perin, who says he's spent $200,000 to help calm the noise and wonders why he's being criticized for bringing industry to an industrial park.

Neidlinger said the shredding operation is a payback for opposition to the Wal-Mart project.

''The noise is a constant nuisance and the explosions make our windows shake,'' Neidlinger said. ''I just feel Mr. Perin put this there out of spite after the shopping center development fell through.''

Perin, who owns the 200 acres near the Wind Gap border, denies that.

''That's about as childish a thought as a person can have,'' Perin said. ''We proposed that recycling plant long before the [Wal-Mart] retail development fell through. I want to be a good neighbor, but I wish people would bring their complaints to me, rather than the media.''

The dispute has prompted Suzanne Hendershot of Liberty Street, who lives a few hundred yards from the plant, to start a petition asking Plainfield Township to crack down on problems at RPM.

''Plainfield put it in,'' Hendershot said. ''But they don't have to live with it, we do.''

The land was to be home to a retail center that would have included Wal-Mart and a Lowe's Home Improvement warehouse, but after years of debate that included vocal opposition from residents, developers withdrew the plans in January 2007.

RPM Recycling opened in October on 4.5 acres bordering Wind Gap. Perin said it was always slated to share the land with the Wal-Mart development -- not retaliation for opposition -- and papers filed with Plainfield in 2003 support that.

Most residents didn't know it was coming largely because it is an approved use for that land and did not need any additional approvals by the township's zoning office, said Plainfield zoning officer Charles L. Knecht Jr.

Owned by Perin, Joseph Raimo and George Miller, RPM takes in 300 tons of scrap a day. The scrap includes everything from appliances to bicycles, but is mostly crushed cars. The scrap must arrive without batteries and fuel tanks. After the shredder slices it into small pieces, the foam, plastic, cardboard and other ''fluff'' is separated. The metal is then sold on a lucrative open market, with scrap selling for more than $500 a ton.

But RPM has had its share of controversy. In May, an RPM worker died when a large piece of metal fell on his head. The incident is under investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Then, on Aug. 9, fire swept through the 300 tons of fluff and scrap, sending a thick plume of black smoke over Neidlinger's and Hendershot's homes and bringing more than 100 firefighters from 18 stations.

Hendershot said she and her neighbors ended up with sore throats, headaches -- and new concerns about RPM.

The explosions, Perin acknowledged, probably happen when propane or oxygen tanks that are stashed in vehicles sold to RPM as scrap get shredded.

Perin said he recently paid $200,000 for a machine to pry open locked hoods and trunks so that his workers can better inspect the cars. Although there were as many as eight explosions in a month, Perin said there have been none since July 8.

''I can't guarantee there will never be an explosion,'' Perin said, noting the new machine is already working. ''But I think there won't be as many.''

The shredder noise will continue between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, he said. According to township ordinance, the noise cannot exceed 70 decibels at the RPM property line.

Knecht, the township zoning officer, said he believes the noise does not exceed that at the edge of the plant property, but it may be louder on the porches of some of the nearby homes.

''Noise is a funny thing,'' said Knecht, who has investigated several of the noise complaints. ''Because of the way it bounces off mountains, or travels through passages, sometimes it's actually louder for people farther away. Unfortunately, our ordinance doesn't take that into account.''

What that leaves is a Wind Gap community angry with RPM. And, Knecht said, a no-win situation for Plainfield.

''When retail wanted in there, people said 'no' because they wanted industry,'' Knecht said. ''Now industry is in there and they're not happy. We're darned if we do and darned if we don't.''
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Serves them right. :lol:

Source.
 
It's still better than Wal-Mart. If I ever meet Sam Walton I'm going to punch him square between the eyeballs, sack of fucking scum, I don't care if he's an Eagle Scout.
 
Twerp128 said:
It's still better than Wal-Mart. If I ever meet Sam Walton I'm going to punch him square between the eyeballs, sack of fucking scum, I don't care if he's an Eagle Scout.
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I can't blame the man for success. He achieved something only a few in the past have.
 
I'm not a fan of Wal Mart, but I'm not against them opening up stores. They recently opened up a mega store here in Poulsbo a couple years ago and things have actually gotten better as a result. Notably one of the established super markets here, Central Market, has diversified its offerings. They now have a gigantic cheese section, a deli, and a giant drinks area. They compete through quality and it seems to be working out well.

I'm not a fan of Wal Mart so I don't shop there and instead support local and regional businesses. In the end thats the most damaging thing you can do to them.
 
I have never shopped at a wal-mat never had to. Although one moved into my old town there was some disconnect between the people lots of useless bitching. When the dust cleared the Liquor store saw the biggest jump in sale and then a neighbor built a quiznos and another a batteries plus. There are still some who bitch about it a the golf club because it takes a bit longer to get to the course but its not like they build these things by people with nice houses or anything.
 
Last week we had a Coca Cola truck set to deliver 3 pallets of 24 packs at Wal-Mart. All the product would go to the shelf. The receiver refused the order because we had 6 pallets in the back and we are only supposed to have two. At the smallest of the local grocery stores it's not uncommon to have less then 6 skid spots, if not 8, or 10. But Wal-Mart is gay so we get two.

So anyways, the truck left and my boss called and bitched until finally over the PA they announced, "Recieving accept the Coke truck." So I called the truck and when he got back a half an hour later. They refused the damn truck again, the receiver would not call the store director and said to go away after he had turned around halfway to his next stop. So I called my boss again, he said, "Fuck the rat bastards, they aren't getting service until Tuesday." So after being two hours behind because of Wal-Mart, I get a call at about 2 PM when I'm supposed to be leaving work. And Wal-Mart basically called Coke crying and said we need the load we're out of Coke! So I had to work an extra three hours that day. I can name off so many more instances like that it makes me sick.

And they treat all their vendors like horse shit.
 
I need to get a bumper sticker that says "For ever dollar you don't spend at Wal Mart I'm going to spend three.".
 
Twerp128 said:
Last week we had a Coca Cola truck set to deliver 3 pallets of 24 packs at Wal-Mart. All the product would go to the shelf. The receiver refused the order because we had 6 pallets in the back and we are only supposed to have two. At the smallest of the local grocery stores it's not uncommon to have less then 6 skid spots, if not 8, or 10. But Wal-Mart is gay so we get two.

So anyways, the truck left and my boss called and bitched until finally over the PA they announced, "Recieving accept the Coke truck." So I called the truck and when he got back a half an hour later. They refused the damn truck again, the receiver would not call the store director and said to go away after he had turned around halfway to his next stop. So I called my boss again, he said, "Fuck the rat bastards, they aren't getting service until Tuesday." So after being two hours behind because of Wal-Mart, I get a call at about 2 PM when I'm supposed to be leaving work. And Wal-Mart basically called Coke crying and said we need the load we're out of Coke! So I had to work an extra three hours that day. I can name off so many more instances like that it makes me sick.

And they treat all their vendors like horse shit.
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huh? maybe im tired but i dont get what you just said...do you work for walmart or coke?:?
 
Coca Cola is in charge of ordering, stocking, making and maintaining displays inside of Wal-Mart. Coke employees actually go to Wal-Mart and stock the shelves. All Wal-Mart does is gives us room in the backroom. Frito Lay, Nabisco, Keebler, Budweiser, they are all stocked by vendors. And Wal-Mart treats us like garbage.

I hate the people who work there, I hate the people who shop there, I hate the stupid Wal-Mart cheer they do, I hate the Wal-Mart radio they put on during 3rd shift, I hate the trailers they make us work out of, I hate everything about Wal-Mart. Seeing how they treat people and how the business is run from the inside, I will NEVER spend a dollar there.
 
Maybe its an Indiana thing. I've had no problems at Walmart.
 
^It's a decent place to shop if you get the right stores. The Wal-Marts in nicer areas tend to be clean, well kept, and well stocked. I have never worked in a pleasant Wal-Mart though, they are all ruled by the big giant head that is corporate Wally World. Same stupid rules, same bully tactics.

I'd rather save money and get better service by shopping the ads at local grocery stores than give them business Plus most other grocery stores have more selection.
 
Twerp128 said:
Coca Cola is in charge of ordering, stocking, making and maintaining displays inside of Wal-Mart. Coke employees actually go to Wal-Mart and stock the shelves. All Wal-Mart does is gives us room in the backroom. Frito Lay, Nabisco, Keebler, Budweiser, they are all stocked by vendors. And Wal-Mart treats us like garbage.
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Oh dear god, that has to be one of the worst arrangements in retail. Never heard that before.

I was just about to say, reading your first post, that as you i would have told them to screw themselves...... "You don't want coke, no problem. Try selling air." Then just wait for them to kick up a fuss but based on your arrangement i would just have got the truck driver to give the receiver a belting, or more diplomatically, leave the stuff on the step and leave.
 
My favorite line of that article:

''I can't guarantee there will never be an explosion,'' Perin said, noting the new machine is already working. ''But I think there won't be as many.''
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Twerp128 said:
Last week we had a Coca Cola truck set to deliver 3 pallets of 24 packs at Wal-Mart. All the product would go to the shelf. The receiver refused the order because we had 6 pallets in the back and we are only supposed to have two. At the smallest of the local grocery stores it's not uncommon to have less then 6 skid spots, if not 8, or 10. But Wal-Mart is gay so we get two.

So anyways, the truck left and my boss called and bitched until finally over the PA they announced, "Recieving accept the Coke truck." So I called the truck and when he got back a half an hour later. They refused the damn truck again, the receiver would not call the store director and said to go away after he had turned around halfway to his next stop. So I called my boss again, he said, "Fuck the rat bastards, they aren't getting service until Tuesday." So after being two hours behind because of Wal-Mart, I get a call at about 2 PM when I'm supposed to be leaving work. And Wal-Mart basically called Coke crying and said we need the load we're out of Coke! So I had to work an extra three hours that day. I can name off so many more instances like that it makes me sick.

And they treat all their vendors like horse shit.
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wow. what a story. :mrgreen:
 
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