WSM

The Weaver Street Market Board: The OTHER important election this fall

We thought turnout for the municipal elections in Carrboro was low, but word on the street is that the turnout for the board elections at Weaver Street Market is abyssmal. Apparently even though many folks in Carrboro are members of the Weaver Street Market cooperative, only a couple of hundred members actually vote in a given election for the board. Considering there are probably 10,000+ members (educated guess based on the membership numbers i'm hearing people give at the register these days), that's a 1-2% turnout rate. Considering that the market is arguably the soul and conscience of Carrboro, it's surprising that so few people take a moment to learn about the candidates and take the important step of voting.

This year we're hoping that changes. So in an effort to promote voting of "consumer-owners", both candidates for the board have written this piece to get the word out about the voting, to tell you a little about ourselves, and to encourage each of you to reach out to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to vote as well.

Weaver Street Market moving from Discounts to Dividends

Weaver Street Market will change the way it rewards consumer owners. Starting at the end of June, consumer owners will receive a Patronage Dividend at the end of the year rather than a 5% discount on some products at the cash register. The co-op will also eliminate its 10% discount for senior citizens on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Like many businesses, Weaver Street Market is going through a difficult financial time; the change is expected to save the co-op $60,000 per month. “Changing from discounts to dividends, along with other changes that our staff is making, will put us back in the black,” said Dave Rizzo, Chair of the Board of Directors. The co-op is currently losing $65,000 a month primarily because sales are down 12% compared to last year in its Carrboro and Southern Village locations. The lower sales are due to the economy and increased competition.

 

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