NOTE: Ken Peach, Washington State, Puget Pod, recently sent me an email about the problems that they are having with the Washington State Health department. Below is part of his email where he explains their problem. I am aware that Arizona is having some of the same problems. This will be a discussion item during our Friday Meetings at the Great Pepper's Meeting. Hopefully a discussion can help them figure some viable answers to help these pods.
"There are probably others who might want to know this also but we are having
problems up here with the Health Department. Washington State is like a lot of
states with not enough money to cover the budget so the Health Department is
raising fees very, very high. I just got a call from one of the Inspectors in
the county where we are going Sat to the CCO at Black Diamond (old coal mining
town, small but quaint and very nice). She said on a blanket permit (and stupid
me, I always thought the word blanket meant everyone) we can only have four
cooks and the cost is $182; and $182 for four more and so on. Oh, it is not a
CASI CCO yet, although the people said if we can get a lot of cooks it will be
OK to add the CASI next year along with the homestyle. I am not sure it will
happen if they enforce the rules: We cannot buy the meat before the event; it
cannot be cutup at our homes or at the chili site. It can only be cutup in an
approved facility; i.e., restaurant, butcher shop, grocery store having a
butcher shop, etc. Also the vegetables have to be washed in an approved
facility and our homes are not it. There are lots more rules; some new and some
we already knew about but have ways to get around them. OK, all of that info
for the info I need from the GP's; how do other Pods make money for the
charities other than sampling and auctions? We have a 12 percent unemployment rate and that is the reason we
can't get a lot of regular cooks or new ones to come to the events anymore."
I invite any of you that have ideas for Ken, please send them to me and we share the information and also we can be prepared to share during the GPM.
It is Friday and time to think Chili. As we go about our weekend activities, please keep those individuals and their families who are living in Aurora, CO and have been effected by the lasted killings in your prayers. This is home for me and I still have many friends, my children's friends and their families still living in the Aurora, CO community.
Happy Weekend. Remember Chili, Charity and Fun!
