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Sonoma’s City Council zigs then zags on Farmers’ Market

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Sonoma Valley Sun

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At a special meeting of December 19th called to designate the composition of a committee to review the Farmers’ Market, Sonoma’s City Council once again changed direction. Rather than forming a multi-member committee comprised of two council members, two members of the public, two members of the CSEC and two members of the current market management, the City Council opted instead to create a two-member sub-committee of the council.

The multi-member committee concept approved at the meeting of the 12th of December would have been covered by the Brown Act, meaning schedules and agendas would have to be publicly posted 72 hours prior to each meeting. The two-member sub-committee is not covered by the Brown Act, and can function in a more ad-hoc fashion, meeting at any time with any member of the public it deems necessary.

The logic of the “zag” versus the “zig” of the previous meeting had to do with timing. Ironically, the timing has become an issue due to the refusal of the council to extend the current market management agreement for another year. Council members expressed concerns that the larger committee would be less time efficient than the smaller ad-hoc committee. The tight timing is a direct result of the City Council’s previous actions.

The current management of the market has made it clear that it is running out of time to pull together what needs to be done to create the market for 2017. Chris Welch, market manager, explained to the council that the process of confirming vendor agreements would already be happening in December in order to have everything lined up by the market’s opening. By extending the discussion to February and with no management agreement with the city in place, Welch indicated that the current timing threatens the ability of the market managers to properly get their plans made.

The two-member council committee is to be comprised of Gary Edwards and Amy Harrington; Harrington has just taken her seat on the council. Edwards is on record as a critic of the composition and style of the current Tuesday market, and has voiced the opinion that it should be “rolled back” to something closer in style to the original market of decades ago when farmers were the majority of vendors. He also raised general concerns about the effects of the market on Plaza restaurants, and the tax revenue the city may be losing due to lower sales volumes at those restaurants. Harrington’s focus appears to be on the fee amounts charged vendors, and concerns that they are not high enough.

In selecting the two-member committee, the same three-member majority which selected Rachel Hundley for Mayor over Madolyn Agrimonti, who was Mayor Pro Tem and normally would have become Mayor, controlled the outcome. Council member David Cook, not part of the voting majority at the past meeting on the subject of the market management extension, volunteered to be on the ad-hoc sub-committee, but was denied the opportunity; Mayor Hundley, a past vendor at the market whose application for participation in the 2016 market was not approved, designated Harrington and Edwards. The three then voted in favor of the Mayor’s choices.

Because the actions of the ad-hoc committee are not subject to the Brown Act, no meetings to discuss the market have yet been publicly announced, nor need they be announced publicly. The ad-hoc committee will report its recommendations to the full council, but given the current majority there appears to be a strong likelihood that its recommendations will be adopted by the council majority. It is unknown at this time whether the current market management finds the present plans workable.



9 thoughts on “Sonoma’s City Council zigs then zags on Farmers’ Market

  1. How is it that Rachael Hundley can participate in these votes about the farmers market? There are FPPC conflict of interest rules about participating in decisions of which the elected official has a financial interest. She had been a food truck vendor at the market and wanted to continue doing so, but was turned down last year. From the FPPC website. http://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/conflicts-of-interest-rules.html

    1. I agree with Gina on this. Rachel Hundley has an ax to grind because she didn’t get invited back after her first year. It’s a conflict of interest and she should recuse herself from all votes regarding the Farmer’s Market.

  2. Rachael told me she has met with attorney and they said she currently does not have financial goings on with the market so there is no conflict of interests. She told me she takes it very seriously and that she certainly would recuse herself if she did have current financial involvments……. I would think otherwise but I think she likes the market and has it’s best interests in mind…..

    1. It has been more than 12 months since Rachel was a vendor at the Farmers Market, so it looks like she is clear in this regards. However, if she participates in decisions regarding the Farmers Market and then applies to be a vendor this coming year, she may have a conflict of interest. I am no expert on this subject, but I would be very careful if I were in this situation.

  3. The new clown-car Republican majority on Council gives every indication that it is about to screw up a one-car Farmer’s Market.

    1. So what are the party affiliations of the current City Council members? And, how do those party affiliations line up with the various issues facing Sonoma?

  4. Sounds murky, George. She still has a financial interest if she is still denied entry. Not to mention a revenge interest against those who thought her chicken truck sucked. Angry thin skinned person now in the position of power. Hmmmm.

  5. Hello, I am just a local guitarist. For about 3 years, I have been unable to obtain an interview, or even a response, about playing at the market. There is a lack of transparency, where hiring is concerned. When ya’ll figure out who is in charge, please let me know directly. I am available, and would be happy to compete for the job. I play well. If you want a whole local band, I can make that happen too.
    Thanks Stewart Degner

  6. We just got back from being away for a couple of weeks. So there is a big farmers market crisis going on? Mr. Edwards would like to see the party stopped. He and Ms. Harrington are now going to be the ones to lead what will happen next year. Some facts: this thing is not for tourists, some people love it, some hate it, it is a cheap night out for locals, locals like to socialize on warm nights, it may or may not be a real farmers market in the strictest sense. Let’s see where this new city council goes on this and other issues. If it is all about expensive hotels and gathering spots for the new wealthy tourists they attract and not so much about the not so expensive stuff locals do, we will know for sure, in short order.

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