Voters elect candidates opposed to McCandless Walmart

McCANDLESS, Pa. — Channel 11 News is following the latest on the fight to keep Walmart out of McCandless.

It appears the disapproval of the retail giant swayed the election for Town Council.

Three of the four challengers who voiced opposition to the Walmart development won the election.

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“We went up against Mike Turzai’s office and Walmart and said, ‘Enough is enough. Let’s stop this. Let’s talk this out and see where we’re really at,’” said Steve Mertz.

Mertz, a lifelong McCandless resident, was elected to town council Tuesday night.

He’s a contractor who’s never held political office -- but says he entered the race because he was upset about the proposed Walmart project.

“We've been fighting a little over a year now to bring a lot more transparency to the township and to the local government and bring the trust back and make sure everybody gets involved,” Mertz said. “We'd rather see the town unite than fall apart the way it's been going lately.”

Council approved the controversial plan to build a Walmart Super Center on the property off Route 19. But a group of citizens has appealed the decision to commonwealth court.

Even if they can’t stop it, Mertz says he wants promises to limit the impact and protect nearby North Park and the creek that flows near the site.

“If we have to have it, we need to work on how it’s going to be done,” Mertz said.

Arguments will be heard in commonwealth court later this month.

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