Other: We hope these comments will fall on fertile ground resolving a vacant feeling at the Farmer's Market. For many years, Medicare for All Indiana Bloomington, formerly known as Hoosiers for a Commonsense Health Plan, has had a booth in Information Alley, paying ahead for the whole season. Our booth has been well attended by market patrons by having many deep and important conversations about healthcare with people who live in the Bloomington area, other regions around Indiana, the US, and indeed, international students and visitors. COVID restricted our being at the market. Last year, the days the market was open for Information Alley, it frequently rained, so we cancelled several times. Today was our first day back for 2023. Information Alley felt like a ghost town. No food vendors and only two other booths, the Dems and the ballet students. What was missing was the spirit of a bustling market with people buying bread, coffee, tea, pastries, savory eggs and tamales. When we asked about the empty food area, we were told that it's the vendor fees keeping vendors out. We've been hearing this for many years. The popularity of the food vendors goes hand in hand with the market growers. Market growers we spoke with this morning expressed the same attitude. Each group, the food vendors and market growers, support the other in bringing people to the market. If in fact, it's the fee, then we believe that the decision is penny wise and pound foolish from what we witnessed today. The market is dull without the bustling food vendor area. The identity of Bloomington having a thriving farmers market is an asset to the entire community. We're curious just how much money is involved with fees for the food vendors. Are they being asked to subsidize the market without setting up in the heart of the market with covered space? How much do the total fees collected from food vendors add to the Parks and Recreation budget? And is the fee worth the alienation of food vendors in the long run? We look forward to hearing your response. Medicare for All Indiana - Bloomington Karen Green Stone Cathy Rountree Kris Campbell Rob Stone, MD