Give farmers a break
Published 8:00 am Wednesday, December 3, 2003
We’re not sure how many terrorist cells are
suspected of skulking about and plotting on Bainbridge. But we suspect the number of plain old law-abiding folks who would enjoy more opportunity to buy local jams, wines and other agricultural products at farm stands is somewhat greater.
Can we agree on that small point? Cheers.
Now, elsewhere in this issue, we examine the efforts of island farmers to effect a change in the city code that currently prohibits the sale of produce and various value-added wares at roadside stands outside the window of “harvest time.” One problem being that nowhere in is “harvest time” clearly defined, another being that no one seems able to recall with clarity why the restriction was enacted in the first place.
Advocates have tried to get various pieces of farm-enhancing legislation in front of elected officials and the public for some time, to little avail. Ordinance changes proposed years ago are finally slated to make an appearance before the Planning Commission in January, which will begin the process of formal hearings and review. The
proposals will then have to run a few leagues on the City Council treadmill before they’re deemed fit.
Which is to say, the farm sales question will take months to resolve. What do aggrieved farmers do in the meantime?
One humble suggestion: That the mayor simply direct her staff to not enforce the offending code until it’s changed, which (at least with regard to farm-stand sales) most seem to feel is a foregone conclusion. Should the mayor want a fig leaf (or in this case, a grape leaf), perhaps the council would be willing to hand her one in the form of a resolution.
If this sounds like a radical and lawless notion, recall that
earlier this year, the council was widely applauded for directing – again, by resolution – our police and other city officials to
follow their conscience and flout the provisions of the USA Patriot Act, should terrorist-hunting federal authorities come tramping onto the island to threaten our civil rights.
If we’re willing to throw up roadblocks on the off-chance John Ashcroft and his gang come to town, why not state our willingness to bend the law to the advantage of local farmers for a few months?
***Cable woes
You may attend church regularly, order merchandise online and/or enjoy at least some strains of popular music.
But you may well not find, in new opportunities to watch
big-haired pulpit-pounders, home-shopping junk merchants and the not-so-softcore gyrations of teen video music channels, much more satisfaction with your revamped cable television lineup. While no programming slate is going to suit all tastes (until the day you can pick your channels ala carte), what does seem to be missing from the new Comcast arrangement is this: an option for folks who really don’t watch much TV.
What about the subscribers who just want better reception and a few local channels, and don’t want to pay $32 a month for the privilege?
Comcast could do better with one more price-point – a lower one, with fewer come-ons.
