| It was reassuring to read recently that a
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| | Home Depot says he welcomes competition
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| prominent developer at the south end of
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| | from Lowe's ( kind of like the battle of
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| our village's shopping strip has promised
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| | titans), but what about the smaller
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| not to turn North Conway into another
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| | stores that sell lumber, paint, hardware,
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| Portland. That's fine, but I wonder what
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| | appliances, et cetera?Within this
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| impact Borders, Barnes and Noble, or
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| | context, what can be done? For starters,
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| Starbucks might have on some of our local
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| | we need to start attending meetings and
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| independent merchants who have worked so
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| | ask tough and provocative questions. We
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| hard to bring money into the town rather
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| | need to begin acting on the answers. We
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| than send it out. I wonder what Home
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| | need to walk the talk. For example, why
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| Depot and Lowe's and the latest new big
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| | are we not at least discussing controls,
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| box (which is one box too many) will do
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| | restraints or temporary moratoriums such
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| to some of our local businesses and to
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| | as those implemented by many other New
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| our new and scenic North-South Road.Make
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| | Hampshire towns? Has anyone looked into
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| no mistake, owning a business is
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| | the admittedly controversial subject of
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| essentially about making money. That's
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| | impact fees? When are we going to get
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| the name of the game. Everyone has a
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| | serious about the concept of planned and
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| right to do it, regardless of size.
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| | managed growth? Is it in the town's
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| Indeed, my own business interests and
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| | Master Plan? Has the Master Plan been
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| holdings are about making money, but the
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| | given a recent reality check?Above all,
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| money comes to me; it does not go to
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| | where is our Capital Improvement Plan?
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| corporate headquarters in Arkansas,
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| | Where is our Capital Improvement
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| Georgia, North Carolina, Natick or
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| | Committee? Has the advent of the
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| Newton, Mass. And I spend a lot of that
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| | so-called Infrastructure Committee (whose
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| money at the local book shops and cigar
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| | members apparently are appointed) become
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| store and at the local hardware and paint
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| | a reason for not having a CIP? Can we
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| stores in the greater Conway area. I
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| | slow down the waiver process, use them as
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| strongly suspect the money at the
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| | negotiating tools, and get a lot tougher
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| independent book stores in town goes to
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| | about granting them? Can we start at
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| the local owners, as does the money at
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| | least thinking about saying no? One can
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| the many coffee shops. These are local
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| | only speculate as to what would have
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| businesses serving the interests of the
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| | happened had the planning board recently
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| greater Conway area. They operate with a
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| | called Lowe's bluff on the parking
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| long-term focus and, I believe, with a
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| | waiver.When the Master Plan was put
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| goal of improving our collective quality
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| | together awhile back, few could have
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| of life. While they serve tourist as well
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| | envisioned the explosion of commercial
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| as locals, their revenue churns within
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| | and residential growth that is now taking
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| and throughout the valley; it does not
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| | place, particularly at the southern end
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| flow to some out-of-state corporate
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| | of the strip. Something needs to be done
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| headquarters. They are part and parcel of
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| | or the Master Plan simply will become two
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| and contiguous with the beautiful fabric
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| | dimensional, and a drive south on the
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| of the valley. And they, like so many
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| | strip may well become an exemplar of what
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| others, have more reason to care about
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| | inrushing money can do. New construction
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| retaining what's left of that fabric.
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| | project after new construction project,
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| That, and their entrepreneurial spirit,
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| | new hotel after new hotel, big box
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| is what sets them apart.Can the same be
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| | stores, fast food, strip malls, an
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| said of the many large companies and
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| | abandoned service station? Can the ugly
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| chain hotels that are on the way? Does
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| | billboards be far behind? Perhaps a drive
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| the Hampton Inn have the same interests
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| | through Windham, Maine, on 302 might
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| as the local bed and breakfasts? Do they
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| | provide a glimpse of what could occur.If
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| have the best long-range interests of
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| | those who live and own businesses here
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| Conway in their peripheral vision or are
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| | fail to act, don't expect those who
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| they looking through fiscal periscopes?
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| | represent the big boxes to do it unless,
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| Do the owners and directors of Lowe's,
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| | of course, you believe they really care.
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| Home Depot, the Hampton Inn, et cetera,
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| | If those who love our natural
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| reside here? Are their representatives
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| | environment, our lakes, mountains, and
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| who come before the planning board people
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| | forests fail to act, don't expect those
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| who have a sense of what the local nature
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| | who represent the chains to do it unless,
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| of our town is all about, or are they
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| | of course, you believe they really care.
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| corporate site selection specialists who
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| | Perhaps they do care. But if you don't
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| couldn't care less about what all this
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| | act, it will be what it will be."He who
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| may be doing to the natural beauty of our
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| | speaks the truth should have one foot in
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| town? Do they care about green space or
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| | the stirrup." ?old Appalachian sayingTed
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| will murals on walls or green roofs do?
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| | Sares, PhD, is a private investor who
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| Will roundabouts, traffic circles, or
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| | lives and writes in the White Mountain
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| rotaries solve the problem they will have
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| | area of Northern New Hampshire with his
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| caused? Would they even consider green
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| | wife Holly and Min Pin Jackdog. He writes
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| space if they were not forced to do so by
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| | a weekly column for a local newspaper and
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| the planning board? Just what are their
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| | many of his other pieces are widely
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| objectives? Do they really care? Maybe
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| | published.His works focus on issues and
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| they do. Time will tell.Now then, if some
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| | themes dealing with socio-political
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| of our local merchants are forced to shut
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| | topics, business and economics in which
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| down (and hopefully this will not be the
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| | he advocates a free market approach to
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| case), the likelihood they will be
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| | capitalism, patriotism, and matters
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| replaced by others is slim, since the
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| | dealing with individual freedom.They are
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| national chain stores will likely
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| | frequently inspirational in nature and
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| continue to be the negative competing
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| | sometimes reflect the Objectivist
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| force that makes this happen. One can
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| | philosophy of novelist and philosopher
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| only speculate as to what will be left
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| | Ayn Rand. He also writes short stories
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| but whatever it is, it will be different
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| | that feature ironic and surprise twists.
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| from what it is today. The developer of
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