[Peace] AWARE table at the Market at the Square for 2012 / we need feedback before April 13

[Karen Medina]

Hi Peace,

Normally this sort of thing should go to the other listserv,
peace-discuss, instead of peace. But I decided that this affects the
larger community of Urbana Champaign that is interested in peace and
justice issues and this is an event.

This year's Urbana Illinois' Market at the Square (aka the Farmer's
Market at Lincoln Square) has raised their prices for non-profit
organizations by about 40% to bring the price closer to what the
for-profit tables cost. (see note * below for more details, if you are
interested).

For years, AWARE has had a table at the Market at the Square. Weekly.

Several suggestions and options face us.

Suggestion 1) Rent two spaces instead of just one. The local Occupy
group has already shown excitement over the idea of being invited to
share a double-space with us. One member in particular is talking
about adding live folk music as a feature (she and friends have a
great folk band).

The cost for a weekly DOUBLE space would be (according to the AWARE
treasurer, Stuart Levy): $486 for the summer (May 5 through November
3, 2012); 7am to 12noon. // 24 weeks in all.
The cost for a weekly SINGLE space would be half that.

Question: weekly or something less than weekly?

Options:
Weekly rental // OR instead of weekly, every other week. Or monthly.
Or something less than weekly.
We could rent the space weekly, but offer to share the space with
other groups (i.e. CUCPJ) so that AWARE would only have to find
volunteers every other week instead of weekly.

Question: Is the additional cost an issue? Is it too much? Is it worth
it? Is it more important now more than ever? Or is it not worth it?

Question: How can you personally help take some of the burden so that
volunteers don't get burned out?

Humbly your servant,
Karen Medina
---
Notes * about the price for non-profit vs. for-profit:
[Each for-profit group space is 6 feet wide by 10 feet deep.]
[Full season (24 weeks) for a for-profit vendor for a single space is: $480.00]
[Community group fee will increase from $7.50 per space, per week to
$10.00 per space, per week. Fees for community groups had not
increased since 2006.]
[For non-profit/community groups, (if we pre-pay before April 13 for
more than 5 Saturdays,) 10 weeks for 1 space would cost $90; 10 weeks
for 2 spaces would cost
$180.00. The full season is 24 weeks would be 180 x 2.4 = $432, so I
am not sure where Stuart came up with the $486, unless he was thinking
$10 per space per week x 2 spaces x 24 weeks = $480 without the
discount for pre-paying before April 13 --> Through April 13, 2012, A
10% discount can be taken on any pre-paid payment covering 5 or more
Saturdays.]
[Community group space dimensions are 6 feet wide by 16.5 feet deep.]
=========
Some people had asked about bake sale type stuff. Rules for the
for-profit market now include:
* Re-selling of produce, arts and crafts, or any other item at the
Market is prohibited at the Market.
* The new cottage food law is effect:
http://urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/new-cottage-food-law-and-you_0.pdf
To sell at Urbana’s Market at the Square, a potential cottage food
operator must:
- Register their contact information in person with the
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. If the operator is from
another county, they must register with their own county. There is no
inspection of an operator’s kitchen, no fee for registration, and
there is no permit given, but the operator’s name will be published on
a page at the C-UPHD’s website so Market staff may perform due
diligence.
- Take and pass a Food Service Sanitation Manager’s course. The
Market’s management requires a copy of this certificate prior to being
approved for a space at the Market.
- Label all food with: 1) the name and address of the operation; 2)
the common name of the product; 3) all ingredients (listed in
descending order by weight); 4)production date; 5) whether the product
contains any allergens (milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, fish, or tree
nuts); and 6) the following statement: “This product was produced in a
home kitchen not subject to public health inspection that may also
process common food allergens.”
- Display a sign with the following statement: “This product was
produced in a home kitchen not subject to public health inspection
that may also process common food allergens.” The Market will provide
this sign.
Please note: While the C-UPHD will be out from time to time inspecting
the Market, Market staff will also be monitoring cottage food
operations to make sure they’re in compliance with these new
regulations.