Craig native Duane “Cris” Criswell started circulating a petition opposing Wal-Mart the day after he heard the retail giant was coming to Craig.

He attended Tuesday night’s Craig City Council meeting, not to submit his petition, but to said he was disappointed with the attitude residents displayed when he approached them.

“People vote only with their pocketbook,” he said. “People are all in this just to suit themselves. I’m truly shocked, and I’ve lived here all my life.”

His were the only comments received as the council voted unanimously to approve a sketch plan submitted by Galloway, Romero & Associates, engineers hired by Wal-Mart Corp.

The Wal-Mart Corp. has secured 23 acres west of Craig and has plans to build a 100,000-square-foot Supercenter.

The council’s decision allowed Wal-Mart to subdivide that site into six lots. The largest — 17.5 acres — will be the site of the Supercenter, which plans indicate will be on the south side of the lot. Four lots ranging in size from a half acre to nearly two acres will remain at the north side. The main access to the Supercenter will be between them. A smaller lot on the east side will be set aside for fuel pumps, accessed by Fourth Avenue West, which currently dead ends.

Wal-Mart spokesman Keith Morris said the company expects to bring a parking and landscaping plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission in November or December.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring.

Christina M. Currie can be reached at 804-7031, ext. 210, or at ccurrie@craigdailypress.com.