On Monday 19th October, SMSA signed an historic MOU with the Hobart City Council. This event is significant as there has not been a MOU in place since 2002!. The MOU is groundbreaking, in that HCC has agreed to reinvest an annual one percent of stallholder fees back into the SMSA.
This is recognition that there is need for a more professional business model for stallholder representation than what has existed for decades. We will now have funds to offer stallholders better representation through: – the employment of a Project Officer to take over some of the duties of the current Secretary, and further manage and develop communication.
- offer places for stallholders at training courses for small business people.
- make connections with other groups with similar interests as the SMSA, eg the Waterfront Business Community.
- approach UTAS to conduct qualitative and quantitative surveys to provide long overdue data on the economic value of The Salamanca Market.
In all, one small step for the SMSA, a giant step forward which will underpin our future relationship with HCC.