To the Editor:

To add to the letter by Peggy Warner (“Hamlet could lose its market”) and the article “Bridge work threatens Berne store” in the Altamont Enterprise edition of Thursday, July 23, 2015, it should be noted that the success or demise of the Fox Creek Market in the hamlet of Berne will be the result of what could be called practical democracy — in a sense, democracy in its purest form.

When Ray and Tammy Weiler were weighing the pros and cons of reopening the market after its closure in March 2014, many people strongly encouraged them to do so, declaring that they would regularly patronize the store, and that a local store in Berne was a wonderful and important thing.

Ah, they exclaimed, how they’d miss the Fox Creek Market if it weren’t there!  Since then, a modest but solid core of loyal patrons have “put their money where their mouths are,” but where did the rest of the “absolutely will be there, every week!” crowd go?

Governments local, county, and state, are experts at “talking the talk” about supporting entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses, but, when it comes to “walking the talk” they more often than not turn into opaque, inert objects.  It could charitably be said that state and local governments both, in this instance, have been less than considerate of (much less supportive of) a small family-run business that’s struggling to exist.

In the final analysis, however, it’s not governments but we, the citizens, who are responsible for determining the character of our communities.  And businesses are part of the character of every community, one way or another.

Here is a great opportunity for us to exercise our democratic power.  In this “election,” we have no choice but to vote.  The proposition we are voting on is whether or not we want to have a family-run store and restaurant serving the Hilltowns.

We may choose or not choose to go the extra couple of “detour” miles to the store (or, hey, call them — they deliver!) and buy some of their delicious food.  If we patronize, the vote counts; if we don’t patronize, the vote counts.  Pure democracy.  We’re all voting in this election, and we all will have to live with the results.

I’ve known my friends Ray and Tammy Weiler for a number of years now and can say with complete confidence that, if in this election Hilltowners vote the Fox Creek Market down, it will be a truly sad loss for all of us.

Ray Hand

Knox