Remember that the objective of all of us participating in the Town Crier’s Membership model is for the paper to continue on when Becky and I retire — and I’m almost 73 now. The Town Crier must be acquired by younger publishers willing to continue a real newspaper for our Hill.
For that to happen, the newspaper must be able to pay reasonable salaries to its editor and part-time employees — positions that Becky and I worked without compensation. If we cannot show that to new publishers, the Town Crier will retire with us.
At the Rotary Club breakfast meeting last Aug. 30, I was asked how much money I thought we would have to bring in with the then two-week-old Membership program to meet the goal of saving the Town Crier for the future. At that time, I estimated it would take a minimum of $85,000 in Memberships per year to keep the paper going.
Thanks to all of you, the Membership model is poised to accomplish that objective. With 18 weeks remaining until the one-year anniversary of the Membership model, you now have met 85 percent of the estimated minimum goal. An average of eight new Memberships each week between now and Aug. 16 will meet the estimated minimum needed.
The Town Crier’s news meetings are open to the public. Please join us Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. at the TC office at North Circle and Cedar.
Town Crier Charter Members
Saving and Supporting the Town Crier for our Community
(476 Charter Members as of April 9, 2018)