Your Voice Disappeared

 Yes, I saw that. A member asking about the fee structure on the members' group started a little discussion, to which I added some facts: In 2022 we paid $50 membership fees and $150 reserve fee. In 2023, the membership was raised to $60 (20% more) and later in the year, season reserve was raised to $200, a third more. We got the ready, willing and able membership structure, which was thoughtful in that if you wanted to pay more, you could, and many did. It preserved that affordable entry for a minute. That's still in place, but the bottom threshold is now $85. From $60 to $85 is a 42% increase. 

The post was removed overnight...which I expected, as we have all seen that the site is no longer a welcome place for discussions. There's no place to discuss your issues with having to come up with $285 minimum to start the year in a reserve space, plus that doesn't even mention the increase in the daily fee from $15 to $20 which is also a 33% increase. This is genuinely hard for people! But it isn't up for discussion. Stuff your feelings.

We will see a membership decrease. You can't make a real payment plan if you have added to that late fees, the percentage on everything you sell, and no income for the last three months. Oh, you can just sell at farmers in the rain for a minimum of $35. It looked like there were at least six members who did this past Saturday. I sincerely hope that worked out for them. It is hard to sell in the cold rain though. If you are disabled, or don't have some kind of help, setting up for 5-hour selling window is far from easy.

There is also the First Friday opportunity and the DAZ permit program for you, which costs $25 annually but does have rules. I don't know if that FSP market was open this weekend, but I presume it will be any day the farmers are there. Without the customer draw of an established market, it is likely not viable, but it's something. And the First Friday booths are free...I don't know if they require things like insurance or something.

Point is, you don't have a place to discuss this. In the beginning, the market structure was that the members, called the Saturday Market Committee, could get together and decide to overrule the Board if they wanted. As you could predict, that went away pretty early, as I recall in a quiet way without much notice. The Bylaws were rewritten to eliminate that option, as it was way too messy and it is hard to make rules with 300 people in the room, each with a vote.

It has been a long journey to this era of no opinion is wanted. Just pay your fees. And don't think being a volunteer, committee chair, or even just sitting in a meeting listening will give you any power. You will just be bypassed and marginalized if you don't go along with the company line. Decisions are made by one person and then everyone else is manipulated into going along with it. That person has no empathy for you. I hear you.