Most people know Bill Tochterman. He was the postmaster in Ellenville for a number of years. He has been a resident of the village for 21 years. And he is the current owner of one of Ellenville's oldest and best-known institutions, Cohen's Bakery. In addition to all of that, Tochterman has been a participant in a number of chambers of commerce. He was the president of the Monticello Action Committee, a board member of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and he just stepped down from being president of the Ellenville-Wawarsing Chamber of Commerce though he still remains on its board.

With his involvement in various communities and as president of the local chamber of commerce, Tochterman was often asked to comment about the possibility of a Wal-Mart entering the Town of Wawarsing. He has always declined to give a response. Until now.

If you ask him now he will tell you, "I am opposed to a Wal-Mart in our immediate area. I think it would be a detriment to our community and to our business community."

"I was hesitant to speak before because I was president of the chamber of commerce and I did not want my words to be misunderstood as though I was speaking for the chamber. These are my personal feelings," Tochterman explained.

Mr. Tochterman said he has never been a Wal-Mart shopper, saying that he has been in one of the retail giant's stores, "maybe five times." He said that his personal feelings go back to a television expose done by CBS several years ago that, he claims, showed how many of Wal-Mart's suppliers used sweatshop labor in order to keep their production costs down so that they would satisfy the store's price requirements. Tochterman said that he has concerns about promoting, "inhuman treatment and child labor," as well as the purchasing of foreign goods.

In addition, Tochterman voiced his disapproval of Wal-Mart's employment practices and its, "history of mistreating people." He went on to say that such behavior -- which has resulted in an wide assortment of lawsuits -- is "not an acceptable way to operate a business."

Tochterman has a unique view on Wal-Mart as one of his storefronts, on Broadway in Monticello, is just a few miles away from that city's Supercenter.

"It [Wal-Mart} draws people away from the downtown. It takes people off of the street. The 'one-stop shopping' they offer removes activity from the business district."

Tochterman was quick to urge both the town and village governments to make themselves available to any and all information regarding the effects of Wal-Mart. "I think it's their responsibility to do that. It's their job. They [the town and village] should perform as many studies as are needed so they know what they are dealing with. I hope they would be responsible and get informed."

Tochterman also expressed his concern with dealing with Wal-Mart due to its size. "You don't stand a chance against them because they are so big. And no matter what you do to appease them, they hold all of the cards. It's like they are doing us a big favor by giving us this store."

Towards the end of the interview, Tochterman raised a point about the area's young people and how their interests have not been considered in this in particular, or any local issue. He hoped that the community's younger citizens would become more involved in the decision making process as he explains that, "They are the people who will have their futures here. They should be involved in what happens here."

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