Panel will decide how to spend a $10k annual donation from
Wal-Mart
Gilroy – City officials have chosen three community representatives to participate on an advisory board that will decide how to spend a $10,000 annual donation from Wal-Mart.
Councilman Monday night selected Irene Day, Barbara DeLorenzo and Katherine Filice from a pool of eight candidates for the positions.
In addition to three citizen representatives, the advisory board also will include Mayor Al Pinheiro, Councilman Craig Gartman, Wal-Mart manager Ken Higgins and a “Community Involvement Coordinator” from the store.
The $10,000 “donation” is one of the roughly 40 requirements City Council placed on the retail giant as part of the city’s approval for its new supercenter. The 220,000-square-foot space, which combines Wal-Mart’s traditional discount products with grocery offerings, is expected to open in Pacheco Pass Shopping Center in September.
Wal-Mart expects to give an additional $50,000 to local programs based on sales projections, although the advisory board will not have discretion over the distribution of those funds.
Serdar Tumgoren covers City Hall for The Dispatch. Reach him at 847-7109 or st*******@************ch.com.
