Students gathered this afternoon to discuss — over nachos — local concerns with Athens Mayor Nancy Denson and University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson.

Students at the event “Nachos with Nancy,” asked Denson about the proposed mixed-use development including a possible Walmart, the Caterpillar acquisition and the image of students in relation to the Athens-Clarke County community.

About 75 students gathered at the event — most from the Student Government Association.

Freshmen such as Melanie Parham came to Nachos with Nancy to discuss local issues with Mayor Nancy Denson, including the downtown Walmart and the new Caterpillar plant. ALLISON LOVE/Staff

SGA member Darien LaBeach began the night’s discussion by asking the mayor if she thought there was confusion among the public concerning the Walmart.

“I do think there’s a lot of information out there,” Denson said, “and I think people also have a bias against the name Walmart.”

Denson reminded the students present that Walmart itself will not own the Armstrong & Dobbs property on Oconee Street. Rather, the plan calls for a mixed-use development with an “anchor” store — where the proposed Walmart would be.

“There was also [more] retail space, something around 230 or so apartments, and then underground parking,” Denson said. “What I saw had been done beautifully. The entrance to it had been planned so it would be directly across from an open area that would probably have fountains or plants — but it was what they said they foresaw as a gathering place for the community where there could even be small concerts or things like that.”

Students also expressed concern that, while Walmart may bring jobs to the city, the development may also bring with it increased levels of poverty since some think Walmart pays only minimum wage to its employees — not living wage.

Walmart’s website says an average full-time hourly associate makes about $12.43 per hour.

In response, Denson said Walmart offers entry level jobs — positions that are key in securing future jobs for uneducated individuals. She gave Caterpillar — the large equipment product line — as an example.

“There are people who might be given a job at Walmart who would not be considered for a job at Caterpillar because they have not developed those job skills that they need. They’ve not developed what we call ‘soft job skills’ — understanding how to properly dress, to get to work on time,” Denson said. “We all start out at a lower job level than we want to.”

She said the Walmart, therefore, would not bring in more poverty, but would help to alleviate already existing poverty by instructing people on how to become “valuable” enough in the job market to support their own families.

Denson said she believes this approach will slowly help wean individuals off governmental support.

The mayor also addressed concerns about the fate of small business owners downtown. She said the free market of downtown Athens should be allowed to run its natural course without governmental guidance. She also stressed many local businesses may have nothing at all to fear since their specialized merchandise could not be purchased at a Walmart.

“Government cannot be in the business of limiting competition,” Denson said. “Fear is not always rational. There may be some losses as a result of Walmart — but it is the free market system that we live in.”

She also said new traffic resulting from the development should not be an issue since the developers are required to submit plans of any traffic modifications to traffic engineers before they can be made.

Amongst piles of Willy’s nachos and questions concerning the new development, students also raised questions concerning tax incentives the city offered to Caterpillar in order to secure their business.

The mayor said Caterpillar will pay about 10 percent of the total property taxes. Each year, the rate will adjust slightly until Caterpillar owns all the property and pays full taxes on it.

Denson said she was happy to talk “with students, rather than at students,” and kept a conversational tone throughout the event.