Letters to the Editor

Dollar Store is an Existential Threat to the Soul of Our Community

Driving into a community that showcases a Dollar Store as a welcoming beacon indicates to residents and visitors alike that this is a town without pride or purpose No thought has been given to how development, inevitable as it is, should occur, what types of new businesses should be sought, or what type of presentation these should make.

An abhorrent beige box adorned with a slab of asphalt and Vegas style sign would dismally greet the new arrival and oldtime local every time they passed by. But its damage runs far deeper than merely being an eyesore, a blight on the community landscape. These stores have been shown to threaten local businesses, especially grocery stores, they create few low paying jobs, erode community identity and are not locally owned so that the profits are siphoned off to shareholders portfolios rather than recycled into the community. And these are just some of the downsides. Do we really need an outlet for questionable "food" products with limitless expiration dates or a source of plastic geegaws of all descriptions to adorn our homes, cemeteries and dog houses?

council simply rolled over lacking any sort of comprehensive land use plan to challenge the proposal. As has been noted elsewhere the most recent general plan was completed in 2006. We are living in rapidly changing times and need to be prepared. One has to wonder how this was allowed to happen and voters need to take a long hard look at the officials they have elected and ask just what it is they have been doing.

replacing wildfire. Improve existing aspen and Ponderosa pine stands, stimulate aspen regeneration, and improve/promote age class variety.

Enhance the diversity and range of habitat that will benefit a variety of wildlife species and maintain and/or improve riparian habitat and function.

This phase of implementation will help sustain and improve: Big-game habitat and native trout populations.

• Reduce conifer encroachment near crucial water tributaries that may reduce the risk of large high severity wildfires.

• Protect private property and agricultural lands.

All project objectives support Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) goals to enhance wildlife and biological diversity, enhance quality and yield for all uses, and support opportunities for sustainable uses.

Project Partnerships: Forest Service, Fishlake National Forest, and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Southern Area.

For more information, contact Kent Chappell at 435-691- 2967 or at kent. chappell@usda.gov.

—Fishlake National Forest

The decision to grant permission for a project that has deep ramifications for everyone living in the community is one that begs for local input and discussion. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for either [Editor's note: Public comment took place at the March 21, 2023, Escalante City Council meeting. After a brief discussion, the Escalante City Council, subsequently, approved the application]. The process seems to have been intended to keep everyone clueless until the last possible moment, to be followed by a resigned throwing up of the hands lamenting that there is nothing that could have been done. This is nonsense.

Unfortunately, the fight has now become much more difficult, but not entirely hopeless. There was no opportunity to make a counter offer and city

An excellent resource for dealing with "small box discount retailers" as they are benignly known can be found at the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Their website contains a wealth of valuable information gleamed from the experiences of other communities across the county that have faced the same problem. The website contains several articles of note including "The Dollar Store Invasion," "17 Problems: How Chain Dollar Stores Harm Communities," and "Stop Dollar Store Proliferation in Your Community: A Strategy Guide," the latter called a step-by-step toolkit for local advocates, officials, and organizers. If anyone is on the fence considering the impact that a SBDR would have on Escalante I strongly urge them to take a look at these reports. The information contained can be quite sobering.

There are of course many who view a Dollar Store as a community asset. As with any controversial issue, there are always two sides. One can only hope that a significant majority of the local population feels differently. We need to organize together and make it clear to Redroot and the Dollar Store corporate managers that this business is not welcome in our community and most importantly will not be supported. Dollars are the language they understand and it may be our most effective tool.

It is not going too far to consider this an existential threat to the soul of our community.

James Whipperman, Escalante

Anonymity

In reference to The Insider Issue #1506 March 30, 2023 article “Wayne County Citizens Concerned over proposed move of Sheriff’s Department to Civic Center” I, as a Wayne County Citizen, feel like of public interest would be how “a group of (unnamed) local women, of whom garnered information from “the Grapevine” and as referenced, other sources that want to remain anonymous, are able to speak for the Wayne County public at large?

Anonymity does not validate credibility?

Adus F. Dorsey II, Wayne County

Publisher: Erica Walz Layout & Graphic Design: Emily Leach Reporter: Tessa Barkan Reporter: Amiee Maxwell Reporter: Kadi Franson Reporter: Lisa Jeppson

Ian Marynowski