Three members of Fair Trade Chelsea — Elizabeth Hammer, Rebecca Meuninck and Gail McCulloch — spent most of October celebrating Fair Trade Month by providing free Fair Trade coffee for meetings to about eight organizations.
The effort was one more step in moving Chelsea toward becoming a Fair Trade City.
On Monday, Nov. 3, the Chelsea City Council approved a resolution in support of the group’s initiative by a vote of 6-1.
“This City Council supports Chelsea’s initiative to become a Fair Trade Town,” the resolution reads.
The resolution states in part that “we recognize that supporting our local economy by purchasing locally and ethically produced goods and services is in keeping with the values of Fair Trade and the City of Chelsea has the opportunity to lead by example and present a model of social responsibility for other towns and cities to follow.”
The resolution also states, “when purchasing goods for the city, the City of Chelsea will consider procuring local and Fair Trade products when those products are available, meet applicable city standards, and comparably priced to the alternative.”
And, the resolution “encourages members of our community to do likewise.”
Council Member Rod Anderson voted against the resolution because he said, “The city should not be taking actions of this kind … the city is nudging the population in a direction.”
He said, “I, personally, would purchase Fair Trade, but groups like yourselves are the impetus. I don’t believe government authority benefits your cause. In fact, it pollutes it.”
Council Member Jane Pacheco said she thought it was a good idea. “I feel strongly that the city try to do the right thing and be a role model for Fair Trade.”
Hammer said the next step in the process is to forward the resolution to Fair Trade International with the activities and stores in the city that carry Fair Trade products.
