Orange County official fired
Published: July 5, 2009
ORANGE — A local official who suggested a different location for a Wal-Mart Supercenter than a proposed site near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia has lost his job.
Orange County Administrator Bill Rolfe was fired Friday night after supervisors met in a closed session.
Wal-Mart is seeking the board’s blessing for a store near the Wilderness battlefield. Historians have loudly complained about the location.
The Arkansas-based retailer maintains the store will not disturb the battlefield.
In an e-mail sent to supervisors June 15, Rolfe said it would be in the county’s best interests to broker a deal with the retailer to move the proposed store somewhere else in the county.
County planners have recommended approval of the Wal-Mart store.
A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for July 27.
The hearing is the final step before the Board of Supervisors, which has the final say, takes up the issue.
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Reader Reactions
It would’ve helped our economy and been nice to have a Disney park here in VA.
People like and want the Orange County Walmart, Gettysburg has 3 surrounding their battlefields, and if a few people don’t come here to ours, guess what, they won’t miss your dollar.
It’s implied that this is all about the Wilderness Walmart but it is too early to know whether there may have been something else at work.
Orange County is determined to have that Walmart and they are going to make sure nothing stands in the way. But that Walmart will never see a dollar of my money.
It is not surprising that the county planners are in a locked step with Walmart. Corporate America has become the loudest and most important voice in this country in recent years, and the public be damned. Rolfe is looking out for the public interest. If Disney had waited until 2009 there would now be a Disney park in Haymarket. Thank you, Mr. Rolfe. I am one citizen who appreciates your valiant effort.
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