Re: Wages, small businesses, etc.

[Douglas Whitney <dwhitney@moscow.com>]

An anonymous "concerned member of the community" just provided my family with a
flyer purported to have been sent by the Uof I bookstore to each office and
faculty member on the campus. The flyer says:

" Only the University of Idaho Bookstore gives all its profits to the
University. Its true. All other stores serving this campus send profits to some
Wall Street shareholders or private investors. All stores, that is, but the
University of Idaho Bookstore. Granted we're not a huge money-making machine.
But we do serve this campus for the sole good of the students and the
University. And we're the only store that can say that. So keep that in mind the
next time you need books, supplies, or clothing. And remember: Keep your money
on campus."

If this was, in fact, distributed by the bookstore management, not only is it
guaranteed to create a serious rift bewteen "town and gown," it is grossly
unfair to the merchants of Moscow and their employees, who are mostly dyed in
the wool vandal boosters, and often have family members attending or on staff at
the University. As to clothing at the Bookstore, that facilty has refused to
solicit bids for sports clothing from local wholesale suppliers, and instead
buys all of its clothing from OUTSIDE the State of Idaho. So much for keeping
the money on campus, or even in the community. The Bookstore must think itself
exempt from the Idaho Law which requires a preference for Idaho domiciled
bidders and suppliers on all purchases. As a UofI alumn, I am disgusted. Don't
bother soliciting me for any more contributions.

Doug Whitney

Dena Marchant wrote:

> Just fyi,
> the wood products store in the eastside mall is closed.  the sign
> on the door says they will reopen in Clarkston.
>
> Dena
>
> At 05:07 PM 1/13/00 -0800, Peggy Adams wrote:
> >JJSwanberg said:
> >
> >>What forums are available locally for small business owners to share their
> >>experiences, advice, resources etc?  Has a list of business resources ever
> >>been compiled for the local area?
> >
> >A course in starting and building a small business is available through
> >Woodnet, the organization that has the interesting wood products store in
> >the Eastside Marketplace.  The SEED (South East Economic Development)
> >Council in Lewiston has had a program for small businesses which includes
> >micro-loans and business advising. The Chamber is a forum through which
> >local businesses can communicate.  It seems that much of what we're
> >addressing here may be part of what the Chamber already does.  Keep in
> >mind, small business owners are as busy as the rest of us and have little
> >time or energy to waste on seminars and classes which are of marginal
> >benefit.
> >
> >Last year the YWCA of WSU brought in expertise in small business
> >development and offered a series of very good classes in starting and
> >building a small business.  Although classes were offered in Moscow, no one
> >from Moscow participated.  Perhaps the money ($75) or time (1 night a week
> >for 6 weeks) committments were too great.
> >
> >Again, I want to emphasize that business training is just a piece of the
> >picture.  Local policy needs to encourage and support small business.
> >
> >P
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Peggy Adams
> >
> >===================================================================
> >Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
> >P O Box 8596; 112 West 4th St; Suite #1
> >Moscow ID 83843-1096
> >Phone (208)882-1444; Fax (208)882-8029
> >url:  http://www.moscow.com/pcei
> >
> >Please Note our individual staff email addresses below:
> >
> >Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director: lamar@pcei.org
> >Peggy Adams, Watersheds/Food Systems: adams@pcei.org
> >Jon Barrett, Idaho Smart Growth:  smartgro@micron.net
> >Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth:  eclegg@micron.net
> >Anita Grover, Watersheds: grover@pcei.org
> >Laurie Guardes, Financial Manager:  gardes@pcei.org
> >Ashley Martens, Environmental Education:  martens@pcei.org
> >Lisabeth Edlund, Americorp/Youth at Risk edlund@pcei.org
> >
> >Celebrating thirteen years of connecting people, place and community.
> >===================================================================
> >
> >
> >
>
> Dena Marchant
> Web Programmer
> First Step Research
>
> (208) 882-8869 ext 20