I hope everyone is having great success with the food drive.  This is a great way to highlight a benefit of having a municipal liquor store in your community. 
 
It reminded me of a leadership article I once read that really made me stop and think about our community and how wonderfully unique it is. 
 
The article started by relating a story about an ancient Chinese town.  The townspeople were extremely poor and food was scarce.  The food that people had was often taken into their homes and hoarded. 
 
One day a stranger came into their town and asked for something to eat.  He was scorned as the townspeople told him of their lack of food.  He offered to make "stone soup," and started with a pot and some stones. 
 
He offered to share it but said how much better it would be if there were some vegetables for it.  That was the beginning of the building of a community as one by one the townspeople brought out items to put into the soup. 
 
The stranger only had a stone and a vision, but the community made a wonderful soup that they ate together and celebrated. 
 
As the leader, the stranger brought a vision to the town.  Each townsperson brought forward something different for the soup which gave it a fabulous aroma and taste. 
 
Each of you are leaders in your community, providing the starter stone for this "pot of soup". 
 
Thanks for having the vision and commitment to your community to help provide for others with the food drive. 
 
Remember to thank your customers for all of the "flavor" they contribute to your "pot of soup" and to your community!

Bridgitte Konrad

North Branch City Administrator

MMBA Director

The city of Marshall has a few hundred thousand reasons why it would like residents to complete a survey on the city-owned liquor store.

The municipal liquor store contributes $375,000 annually to the city budget, city financial director Tom Meulebroeck said. The store had about $3.3 million in sales last year and about $3.4 million in sales in 2007.

"It's an important revenue stream for the city," city administrator Ben Martig said.

The council has appointed a task force to study the liquor store and review sales, service, location and possible expansion and new location ideas.

One part of that review is a survey being conducted by the Southwest Marketing Advisory Center of Southwest Minnesota State University. At least 3,000 residents should have received the survey in the mail this week, said Mike Rich of the marketing center.

The survey asks questions about liquor store service, selection, shopping patterns, location and related factors, Rich said.

 

Respondents will be asked how often they are in East College Drive or in the Shopko, Wal Mart area, Rich said. They will also be asked about advice given by the staff at the liquor store, Rich said.

 

Sales have declined for the past few years and city officials have also talked about expanding for finding a new location for the store, especially in some past budget meetings.

Martig and Rich said the survey will provide feedback on those issues.

"Yet current sales trends are not driving this," Martig said. "Even if there was slight increase in sales we'd do this."

"This store is successful where it is and makes a nice revenue," Martig said.

The survey will provide information that can be applied to the existing location, Martig and Rich said.

"Are the customers satisfied with the existing store, what is the shopping experience like...," Martig said. What about customer service, parking and products that sell, are examples of more information the survey can provide, Martig said.

While expanding or re-locating the store may not be a primary consideration, Martig said the survey will provide information that can be used if the task force or council begin to consider those options more seriously.

"Is the building meeting the needs as far as space...," Martig said "How important is convenient location..."

Although the survey was mailed to 3,000 potential respondents, those who received the survey and those who didn't can respond through a Web site at smac.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_1Y5iX655cN4GKvq&SVID=Prod. Rich said. 

The City of Buffalo Lake is accepting applications for the position of On-Off Sale Liquor Store Manager.
 
This individual oversees and administers the day-to-day operations of the On-Off Sale Municipal Liquor Store. 
 
Requirements include bartending experience, as well as knowledge of small business operations including management, inventory control, budgeting, marketing, promotions and customer relations. 
 
Knowledge of inventory software and computerized point-of-sale register systems a plus.
 
Must be able to work a combination of days, nights, weekends, and holidays and lift 50 pounds. 
 
Salary DOQ. 
 
Application forms available at Buffalo Lake City Office, 203 North Main Street, P.O. Box 396, Buffalo Lake, MN  55314, (320)833-2272, or at www.buffalolake.org   
 
Completed application, resume, and release forms due in Buffalo Lake City Office by 4:00 p.m. October 30, 2009. 
 

Why do we put off until tomorrow what we can do today? Because it's so darn easy to delay! Follow these simple steps, and you'll conquer procrastination before you can say, "I'll do it later."

 

Make a list of all your current projects. Which ones have been outstanding the longest? Are they still really essential? If the answer is, "Not really," then take them off your list. For some of the remaining tasks, delegate to family, friends, or co-workers if possible. 

 

If a project seems too big and overwhelming, start with something small. Clear out the old magazines from the rack. Tidy up the scraps of paper on the fridge or bulletin board. Clean out your purse or briefcase.

 

If you are simply overwhelmed by the enormity of the task, avoid procrastination and break it down into small steps. Assign each step to a different day on your calendar, and make yourself accountable. Even if you can grab ten minutes here and there, you'll see progress toward completing a large project.

 

If there is a project that you absolutely must get done today, do whatever it takes to forge on. Spend a little money to hire a babysitter or order take-out if that will keep you working.

 

Work with your daily rhythms and habits. If you're a morning person, take advantage of the early hours to tackle your most difficult jobs. Likewise, nightowls might accomplish more after the rest of the house is quiet and asleep.

 

If you can't seem to motivate yourself, grab a partner. Sometimes just the camaraderie of a friend can push you through a tough job. If you need a really neutral, non-judgmental assistant to guide you through, consider contacting your professional organizer for project, paper, or time management help.

 

Click Here for Regional Meeting Information

 

 

As a manager, you do not have all of the great ideas.

 

 

 

 

An MMBA member recently asked about outdoor smoking areas.

 

The Minnesota Freedom to Breathe Act does not regulate outdoor smoking, only indoor smoking.

 

 

"all space between a floor and a ceiling
that is bounded by walls, doorways, or windows, whether open or closed, covering
more than 50 percent of the combined surface area of the vertical planes constituting
the perimeter of the area.

 

A wall includes any retractable divider, garage door, or other
physical barrier, whether temporary or permanent.

 

A 0.011 gauge window screen with an
18 by 16 mesh count is not a wall."