This aerial view shows Ann Arbor farmers market in Kerrytown. The surface parking lot is indicated in red.

The Ann Arbor public market advisory commission had recommended the work and appropriation at its April 18, 2013 meeting. According to a staff memo, the work would include “saw cutting and stripping the asphalt, grading the existing aggregate, and adding 3 inches of asphalt mix.” It’s a short-term approach intended to tide over the lot until longer-term improvements at the market are determined.

The lot is known informally as the “sand lot,” but parks & recreation manager Colin Smith noted that it’s actually built from a variety of materials, including asphalt. “It’s not some place where you’d be playing volleyball, let’s put it that way,” Smith said.

The project is already underway and initially will be paid for out of proceeds from the parks maintenance and capital improvement millage, to be reimbursed from the market fund balance. The total market fund balance as of Feb. 28, 2013 was $684,145.

The public market – located in Kerrytown, north of Catherine between Fourth and Fifth avenues – is part of the city’s parks & recreation unit, but operates as an enterprise fund. That means the intent is for the operation to be self-sufficient, without support from the city’s general fund. The market manager is Sarah DeWitt.

This brief was filed from the second-floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

The Ann Arbor public market in Kerrytown is empty and used for parking except for Saturdays, when the farmers market is open, and on Sundays for the artisan market. An additional farmers market is held on Wednesdays from May through December. At left, two women use the e-Park kiosk to pay for their parking on Monday. (Photos by the writer.)

Market manager Molly Notarianni is proposing a producers-only market from 4:30-8:30 p.m., operating as a separate entity from the existing Saturday and Wednesday daytime markets. The significance of having a separate application process is that it would eliminate the seniority system that exists at the other markets. The seniority system makes it difficult for new vendors to get spots in those markets.

Members of the city’s public market advisory commission seemed generally supportive of the idea – they’ll likely weigh in officially at their meeting in May.

The group also discussed revisions to the market vendor application form – including a proposed requirement for lease verification.

The commission is still short two members, a situation that has presented some challenges in the last few months. All three current members need to attend in order to achieve a quorum, and scheduling difficulties have led to cancellation of several of their monthly meetings. The March meeting was rescheduled from Tuesday to Thursday of last week – because of that change, the meeting was not broadcast by Community Television Network (CTN).

Openings remain on the commission for the category of: (1) a market shopper; and (2) someone who lives or works in the Kerrytown district, where the market is located. Applications are available on the market’s website. They must be sent to the mayor, who makes nominations that are then voted on by the city council.

Night Market Pilot Program

Molly Notarianni began her presentation about a potential night market by saying it’s been a vision she’s had to expand use of the market space, and a way to address the demand from vendors and shoppers for additional market hours. The public market space is underused, she said, and adding a night market would be one way to capitalize on the location.

Her proposal is to create another farmers market on Wednesday evenings, from 4:30-8:30 p.m. The market would run for a shorter season, launching this year on July 1 – the start of the city’s fiscal year – and running through September or early October.

Wednesdays are best because the area is already blocked off for the daytime farmers market, she said. The Wednesday daytime market runs from May through December, from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Because she was concerned that a night market will take up the market’s parking spaces (which would otherwise be available to downtown visitors), Notarianni said she talked about the idea with two stakeholders: Karen Farmer, manager of Kerrytown Market & Shops, a complex of stores adjacent to the public market; and Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, which oversees the city’s surface parking lots – including the one at the public market.

Molly Notarianni, the city's market manager.

Both Farmer and Pollay were enthusiastic about the proposal, Notarianni reported. They felt that a night market would draw more people to that area, which would benefit the stores and restaurants in Kerrytown.

The night market would have the same spirit and basic premise as the Saturday and Wednesday daytime markets, Notarianni said. But rather than have a combination of food producers and artisans, her proposal calls for a focus at the night market on small-scale food producers and growers . She also proposes that the night market be a new, separate venture – that is, with a separate application and set of rules. This would disconnect it from the seniority rules of the existing markets, which give preference to long-time vendors. [.pdf of draft night market rules and vendor application]

The plan would make the night market more accessible to new vendors who have difficulty getting into the existing markets, she said. There would be an annual application process and evaluation – just because you were accepted the previous year wouldn’t guarantee you a spot.

Night Market: Commissioner Discussion

The three market commissioners were generally supportive of the idea. Shannon Brines noted that the draft rules were much shorter than existing market rules. That’s what happens when you eliminate the seniority system, Notarianni said – it becomes less complex.

Lindsay-Jean Hard asked how potential vendors would be notified of the opportunity. Notarianni said she had a stack of applications from vendors that haven’t been able to get a spot at the daytime markets – that would be one place to start. Word would likely spread quickly, and she noted that existing vendors are welcome to apply, too.

Dave Barkman said he thought it could be a benefit, to bring new people to the market. He asked whether the new market would also be under Notarianni’s management, and if the fees would help pay her salary. Yes, she would manage it, she replied, but her salary wouldn’t increase. Barkman – who owns TJ Farms in Chelsea and is a market vendor – said existing vendors wonder whether the fees they pay are subsidizing other programs at the market, by paying for Notarianni’s overtime, for example. Will their fees go up or down? [Currently, fees are $25 per stall, per day, or $300 per stall annually.]

Revenues from the night market would be extra, Notarianni explained, and might allow them to hire a part-time staff person to help manage it. The additional money could also be used for promotion and outreach for all of the markets, she noted, which would benefit existing vendors. She didn’t feel the new market would undercut the existing markets in any way.

Brines of Brines Farm, who’s also a vendor and chair of the commission, suggested that they get more information about the financial piece of it – about how the additional revenues would be used. He said he talked with some vendors about the idea, and got generally positive responses, though they wanted more details.

Barkman said he assumed the night market would bring in new customers, not divert business away from the daytime market. He wondered how the logistics would be handled in the transition – getting daytime vendors out and night vendors in between 3 and 4:30 p.m. Notarianni said the logistics would have to be worked out, but that many vendors in the day leave before 3 p.m. anyway.

Brines floated the possibility of using Lunasa, an online system that allows shoppers to place orders for local food vendors and pick up their food at a central location. The current Lunasa pick-up site in Ann Arbor is at a Jackson Road warehouse.

Notarianni noted there were lots of creative possibilities. Pollay had suggested selling ready-to-eat food that could be used for picnics or taken to other venues, like evening events at the nearby Kerrytown Concert House. The night market might also be attractive for food carts that will be operating during the day at Mark’s Carts, a new food court that’s being developed by Mark Hodesh, owner of Downtown Home & Garden at Ashley and Washington streets.

The commissioners discussed extending the market into October. Even though it might get dark by 8:30 p.m., the market area is lit to accommodate vendors and shoppers.

Next steps in the process would be to get feedback from vendors and additional feedback from commissioners, Notarianni said, then they’d vote on the proposal. For accounting purposes, she suggested starting it in July, after the start of the city’s next fiscal year on July 1.

Brines proposed voting on it at their May meeting, to give more people a chance to find out about the idea and give input. Notarianni also plans to included information about it in her next monthly market newsletter.

Revised Vendor Application

The farmers market vendor application is updated annually. Notarianni noted that last year, the commission had gone through an extensive revision process, including public meetings with vendors. This year, she proposed three changes: (1) a lease verification form; (2) a form for vendor information that will be available to the public; and (3) a revision stating explicitly that resale of products not produced by the vendor is prohibited. [.pdf of draft 2011 revised vendor application form]

The resale prohibition isn’t new, she noted – Ann Arbor has always been a “producer’s market,” meaning that vendors can sell only products they have made. This change is intended to make it even more clear, she said.

Shannon Brines, chair of the Ann Arbor public market advisory commission and owner of Brines Farm in Dexter.

The form for publicly available vendor information is to clarify for vendors that the contact information they give will be available to the public, if requested. In the past when people have requested information under the Freedom of Information Act, there’s been confusion about what information could be released. This form is intended to clarify that, she said.

In response to a query from Brines, Notarianni confirmed that the applications are in paper form – only the original copy is kept on file in the market office. There are no copies made except in response to a FOIA request, and the information isn’t entered into a database. She said that when she worked at a market in Portland, they used an online application process, which resulted in a searchable database. She didn’t think they could require that in Ann Arbor.

Brines said he suspected that from vendors they’d hear the most response about the new lease verification form. He noted that some vendors conduct business on a handshake, and might not have the documentation required – which is a copy of the lease for any land used to grow or produce products. The form also asks for both the vendor and the landlord of the leased property to sign it. Brines wondered if this might be a challenge. What if the landowner lives out of town?

He noted that the market operating rules don’t mention leases, but that the lease verification is in line with being a producer-only market.

Notarianni said this is just another piece of information they’re requesting, in addition to items like the amount of acreage a vendor uses or the types of produce that they grow.

The next step is to put the draft application form on the market’s website for review, Notarianni said. It is important to get the word out, she said, especially since the March commission meeting wasn’t being televised. Per the market’s operating rules, vendors must complete their applications for the following fiscal year by May 15. [.pdf of market operating rules] She suggested that the commission vote on the changes at their next meeting. [These changes are made administratively. The commission is an advisory body to the market manager.]

Misc. Updates: Looking for New Commissioners

Thursday’s meeting included several updates from Notarianni and some of the commissioners. Before the meeting, Notarianni and Lindsay-Jean Hard of Real Time Farms – the commission’s newest member – discussed the two remaining openings on the commission. Over the past year, terms of two commissioners – Diane Black and Genia Service – expired. And Peter Pollack, who chaired the group, passed away last year.

Commissioner Lindsay-Jean Hard of Real Time Farms.

Openings remain for the category of: (1) a market shopper; and (2) someone who lives or works in the Kerrytown district, where the market is located. Applications are sent to the mayor, who makes nominations that are then voted on by city council. [.pdf of application for public market advisory commission] Notarianni said she hasn’t been informed by mayor John Hieftje about any applications he’s received.

Notarianni also asked for feedback from commissioners about whether to bring back the nonprofit Peace, Love & Planet, which last year came to the market to collect plastic garden pots and trays to recycle. She said the group wanted to do it again, but was requesting funding and possibly volunteers to help with the collection. Commissioners expressed some ambivalence about it, and asked Notarianni to get more details about how much funding was needed.

Notarianni reported that the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority will be installing more bike racks in the market area. Commissioners suggested locating them in a spot that’s visible – possibly near existing hoops at Catherine and Detroit streets, or between Detroit and Fifth.

A program called Double Up Food Bucks, which provides coupons for fresh food to people who get food assistance benefits, will be returning to the market in May, Notarianni said. The program is administered by the Fair Food Network, an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit.

Brines reported that the recent Local Food Summit, a March 1 event he helped organize, was a success. More than 300 people attended, he said, reflecting a lot of energy in the local food movement. “In general, that means the public market advisory commission should promote that in as many ways as we can,” he added.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Shannon Brines, and Lindsay-Jean Hard. Also: Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

Scott Robertello of Kapnick Orchards spoke during public commentary, criticizing proposed changes to the vendor application and inspection forms, among other things. (Photo by the writer.)

She noted that one of the market commissioners, Shannon Brines, was absent because he also had spent the day at the summit, as one of its organizers, and was wrapping up loose ends there. Though both the commission meeting and the summit have similar themes – both focused on locally grown food – The Chronicle will report on the summit in a separate article.

Tuesday’s commission meeting touched on several topics, including a proposed transfer of seniority between two market vendors, and an upcoming annual meeting with vendors on March 8. At that meeting, the commission will be getting feedback on proposed changes to the city’s vendor application and inspection forms.

The annual meeting and revisions to the forms were the focus of two speakers during public commentary. Market vendors Scott Robertello of Kapnick Orchards and Bruce Upston of Wasem Fruit Farm criticized aspects of the proposed changes, saying that too much information was being required.

Annual Vendor Meeting

Commissioners reviewed the agenda for their March 8 annual vendor meeting, to be held from 6-8 p.m. at Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard Road. Items on the agenda include a discussion of 2010 events at the market; an update on changes to the market facilities, the Fifth Avenue streetscape and Kerrytown area; an update from the commission’s outreach subcommittee; and a time for questions from vendors.

In addition, part of the meeting will focus on proposed changes to vendor application and inspection forms, and on getting feedback from vendors. At their February meeting, commissioners had spent considerable time discussing those changes. [See Chronicle coverage: "Market Commission Preps Vendor Meeting"] The agenda and drafts of those forms will be posted on the commission’s website.

Public Commentary

Two vendors from the Farmers Market spoke during public commentary, both of them critical about proposed changes to the vendor application and inspection forms, among other issues.

Scott Robertello of Kapnick Orchards started out by saying he was very disappointed that the city wouldn’t reimburse vendors more quickly for Project Fresh coupons – he reported that one once occasions he had to wait almost 120 days before he got reimbursed. [Project Fresh provides coupons for fresh fruit and vegetables to those enrolled in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.] Robertello said he also is a vendor at the Garden City farmers market, a much smaller venue. There, he said, they collect coupons and reimburse vendors once a month.

Robertello also criticized communication about the upcoming meeting with vendors on March 8. He had just received the mailed notice about the meeting on March 1, even though he knew the commission had set the date more than a month ago. The new vendor application hadn’t been available on the commission’s website, he said – they needed to be more clear and upfront about what they are doing.

There were several concerns that Robertello had with the proposed vendor inspection forms. He objected to the amount of personal information that was being asked for, such as cell phone numbers. Certain people, he said, make Freedom of Information Act requests to get that kind of information to harass him. He also noted that there seemed to be a major emphasis on getting ingredients for baked goods, while other types of products didn’t require the same level of detail. He said he knew that some people had come to the commission and complained about him. [At previous meetings, Luis Vazquez has spoken during public commentary to criticize Kapnick Orchards for not following market rules on baked goods.]

Bruce Upston of Wasem Fruit Farm said he was in “total agreement” with Robertello. The proposed inspection form could take days to complete. “It’s more like an IRS audit rather than a market inspection,” he said. Upston also said he received a notice in the mail on March 1 about the March 8 meeting. Though he had known about the meeting previously, he said many vendors didn’t. The market commission could do a better job of getting the word out, he concluded, because there are significant changes in the works.

Seniority Transfer

The commission discussed a request to transfer market seniority from Ken Prielipp to Karlene Goetz. Prielipp – of HillTop Greenhouse & Farms – is retiring and has applied to transfer his seniority to Goetz, a relative who also sells at the market.

A public hearing on the transfer is set for the commission’s April 6 meeting. This is part of a standard process whenever a transfer is requested, said Molly Notarianni, market manager. The commission will then make a recommendation, which will be sent to the city’s community services administrator for a final decision.

Responding to a question from commissioner Diane Black, Notarianni said there are limited conditions under which seniority can be transferred: When someone dies, retires or the business is purchased.

After the meeting, Notarianni clarified why the status of a vendor’s seniority is valued. There is a seniority list that records how long each vendor has been selling at the market – some vendors go back several decades, she said. At 6 a.m. every Saturday, the market manager gathers with the vendors to assign stalls for the day. A vendor’s seniority determines the order in which those stall assignments are made – the most senior vendor gets first pick, and so on.

Peter Pollack told commissioners that they should plan to vote on the transfer at the April 6 meeting.

Updates from the Market Manager

Molly Notarianni reported that three potential vendors had applied to the market. One wants to sell handmade organic skin care products. Another would sell vegan baked goods, including cookies, brownies and banana bread. A third applicant proposes selling a variety of products, including chickens, eggs and basil. In addition, she said that two vendors who’ve been previously turned down – offering to sell South American baked goods and stained glass items, respectively – have made queries about applying again.

Commissioners reported that they’d received an email from someone who wanted to sell worms for use in gardening. In the email, the person inquired whether this type of item was something that the market would even consider – was it worth going through the process of applying? “I would say yes,” said commissioner Genia Service.

Other items from Notarianni’s report:

• Starting on May 22 through August, every Saturday the nonprofit Peace, Love & Planet will be collecting plastic garden pots and trays to recycle from shoppers and vendors.
• The farmers market and adjacent Kerrytown Market & Shops are planning an event that will include a tour of both venues, highlighting products in the market and possibly ending with a meal in the shopping complex. The shops are also interested in partnering with the market for some kind of an open house for students in the fall.
• The Homegrown Local Food Summit focused on a “10% for Washtenaw” campaign, Notarianni reported. The goal is to get residents to spend 10% of their food budget on locally produced food. “That can only bode well for the market,” she said.

In a follow-up question from commissioner Peter Pollack, Notarianni said that replacements for the large signs in the market are still being produced. Shannon Brines had requested a change in the design, adding information to indicate that the market is open Saturdays year-round. Those changes are being made, she said.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Diane Black, Peter Pollack, and Genia Service. Also: Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Absent: Shannon Brines.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

Diane Black, a member of the Public Market Advisory Commission, also teaches kindergarten at Rudolf Steiner School. She points out a painting by one of her students, Fionnuala, whose father is Rob MacKercher, a vendor at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. Art by Rudolf Steiner students is on display at the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown building. (Photos by the writer.)

The meeting with vendors, set for March 8, is part of an effort to engage farmers and others who sell products and produce at the public market. Commissioners hope to get feedback on a range of topics, from drafts of new vendor application and inspection forms to ideas for promoting the market.

Some of Tuesday’s meeting was spent reviewing drafts of the vendor application and inspection forms, which include revisions aimed at getting more detailed information about what the vendors are selling, and how the products are made.

Market Finances

Two speakers during public commentary – Glenn Thompson and Karen Sidney – both spoke about the public market finances, and expressed concern about the market’s financial trajectory.

Thompson gave commissioners a handout showing bar charts of market operating expenses and income from 1995 through 2009. For operating expenses, he said he’d extracted one-time items such as payments to contractors, and calculated only the market’s regular, recurring expenses. The trend, he noted, is consistently upward, starting in the year 2000 – about the time that the market was put under the direction of the city’s parks and recreation unit, he said.

At the same time, income levels are going down, Thompson said, noting that his calculations did not include income from parking. There was a fairly large jump in income from FY 2003 to FY 2004 – reflecting the last time that vendor fees were increased – but since then, income has been declining, he said. Vendor fees are slated to go up again this year, and he wondered if it would be followed by yet another decline in income, after an initial upward spike. “It’s an ominous trend, if it repeats itself,” he said.

Karen Sidney also spoke about the market’s finances during public commentary. She said she had reviewed the market’s audited financial statements. When parking revenue is extracted, the market’s income is declining, she said. Sidney added that commissioners need to look at whether an increase in vendor fees is actually driving away vendors. She feared that the market was headed toward a deficit, and thinks that raising fees will only make things worse.

During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners alluded to the vendor fee increase, but didn’t discuss it in detail. By way of background, last year the city proposed an increase of stall fees from $250 to $300 per year – a 20% increase. Jeff Straw, deputy parks manager, gave an update to commissioners about the fee increases at an April 21, 2009 meeting of the public market advisory commission.

According to minutes of that meeting, Straw said that fixed costs – including benefits, utilities and the city’s IT charge to the market – had all increased. [Until fiscal 2006, the city's IT charge was part of the municipal service charge that every unit within the city government is assessed. Starting in fiscal 2006, an IT charge has been assessed separately, in addition to the municipal service charge.] Straw said the proposed stall fee increases would raise about $12,000 in revenue and would take effect during the 2010 market season.

Peter Pollack, chair of the market commission, attended a May 17, 2009 Sunday caucus meeting of the Ann Arbor city council, where he relayed the commission’s lack of support for a fee increase, which they had expressed in the form of a unanimous resolution. From The Chronicle’s coverage of that caucus:

Pollack explained that the commission’s lack of support was based on a substantial bank account of the farmers market and the timing of the decision – neither the public nor vendors had had sufficient time to contemplate the fee increase. They’d had to do so within a month.

The resolution states that the commission does not support the fee increases at this time and requests a quarterly financial report of expenses and revenues to be accompanied by an annual review with a cost adjustment up or down based on that review. The idea is to minimize the percentage of any proposed change in any one period. Another goal of the commission is to achieve equity between the farmer stall fees and the rental rates charged to others who use the facility – for example, as a wedding venue. [Councilmember] Sabra Briere asked Pollack to clarify when the fees would go into effect – she had met with Molly Notarianni, the market manager, and had understood that the fee increases would not take effect until next year. Pollack confirmed that bills had been sent out for the 2009-10 season with the existing rates.

The new rate would appear on the next market bill, he said. Pollack said that the commission’s point was that the data did not yet exist to support the proposed fee increase. [Mayor John] Hieftje asked Pollack what kind of data he was looking for. Pollack clarified that the additional dollars to be generated through the new fee increases are attached to the full-time position of market manager and a part-time allocation of an assistant manager, so Pollack wanted to see those numbers as they related to the revenues and expenses of the market. “We need to track it,” he said. “We assume staff made the analysis,” he said, “but we haven’t seen it.”

It’s within this context that the commission had previously asked market manager Molly Notarianni to devise a summarized quarterly financial report, so that they could better track revenues and expenses, and analyze the impact of a fee increase, among other things. She delivered her first quarterly report at the commission’s November 2009 meeting. Still a work in progress, the most recent report, she said, reflects the commission’s directive to separate out revenues and expenses specifically for the farmers market – as opposed to other activities that take place in the public market space.

Notarianni noted that year-to-date revenues are up, with the largest portion of revenues coming from vendor fees. [Annual stall fees have not yet been assessed. Those fees are paid in the latter part of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.]

Much of the discussion centered around breaking out expenses between the farmers market and the rest of the activities in the public market, such as the Sunday Artisan Market. Commissioner Diane Black wondered whether they should assign a third of the utilities expense, for example, to the artisan market. During the prime market season, the farmers market is held two days a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the artisan market is held only on Sunday. [From January through March, however, neither the artisan market nor the Wednesday farmers market are held.]

After further discussion, commissioner Shannon Brines suggested checking if the parks and recreation managers had a formula for separating out expenses. Peter Pollack said the ultimate goal was to make sure the rentals were equitable between the farmers market and all other uses of the public market, based on expenses. He suggested that Notarianni discuss the issue with Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, and that she also go over the financial data that Glenn Thompson had provided. He said the draft of the quarterly financial report was a step in the right direction.

Market Manager Updates

Market manager Molly Notarianni said she’d received two applications for new vendors: 1) a food cart vendor who wanted to sell German sausages and fresh-squeezed lemonade, and 2) a former vendor who proposed selling mushrooms and mushroom kits.

Commissioner Dave Barkman asked whether the market was at its limit for food carts – they had set a limit of four. Notarianni said that Pilar’s Tamales was the only food cart currently at the market, though there might be another one coming on board.

Notarianni also reported that there were more vendors at the market in January than in the past – between 30-35  on most Saturdays, during what’s usually the slowest month of the year. She also reported that new signs were being made, at Barkman’s suggestion, to identify vendors who are selling certified organic products. They’ll be given to vendors who have paperwork showing proof of certification.

Vendor Meeting, Revisions to Forms

Several items will be on the agenda for the March 8 meeting with vendors, which will run from 6-8 p.m. at Cobblestone Farm: 1) an overview of the upcoming season’s schedule for the farmers market and public market, 2) updates on renovation work, including plans for improvements by the Downtown Development Authority in the Kerrytown area, and 3) discussion of advertising, promotion and special events for the market, and enlistment of volunteers for the commission’s outreach committee.

Molly Notarianni, the city of Ann Arbor's market manager, at the Feb. 2 meeting of the Public Market Advisory Commission.

Another item for the meeting’s agenda is to get feedback on an idea that Notarianni floated: Collecting gross sales information from vendors. The point is to measure how well vendors are actually doing at the market. For example, if there’s a special promotional event that brings more people to the market, does that translate into additional sales for vendors? If not, are such events worth doing? Having sales data would help answer those questions, Notarianni said. She suggested that vendors be given the option of participating, and said the information would be kept anonymous.

Dave Barkman said it might be difficult for some vendors to tell how much they make at the Ann Arbor market. Farmers might go to several markets, he said, and use the same till for all, without separating out the sales. Diane Black suggested finding a dozen or so vendors who’d be willing to participate, and use them as a way to gauge sales more generally. Genia Service proposed putting the item on the agenda for the March 8 meeting, to see what vendors thought.

Also on the March 8 agenda will be a review of revisions to the vendor application and inspection forms, and a chance for vendors to give feedback on the proposed changes. At Tuesday’s meeting, Notarianni went over the changes that are being proposed by the commission’s policies and procedures committee. She said the goal is to collect more information, to be able to evaluate the vendor better.

For the application, a new category – “Source of materials” or “Source of ingredients” – has been added, to make it more clear how products are being grown or produced. The application also includes an additional sentence: “The products should meet MDA [Michigan Department of Agriculture], Washtenaw County Health Department, and USDA regulations, and good food safety practices.” This emphasizes the importance of food safety, Barkman said.

In the section for prepared food, one sentence has been underlined to emphasize that vendors must have “combined or assembled” their product, from ingredients that they’re required to list. Barkman said the intent is to address some of the problems that have been raised about vendors selling pre-made items. [.pdf file of draft vendor application]

As for the inspection form, it didn’t change dramatically, Notarianni said. [.pdf file of draft inspection form] A section for livestock has been added, reflecting the fact that they’ve added vendors who are selling meat. For the prepared foods section, the form asks vendors to describe their preparation process and source of ingredients. Pollack said that vendors should be asked to describe their facilities as well.

Pollack suggested that the revisions be highlighted in color, and that a cover memo should be included to indicate what has been changed. The drafts should be posted on the market’s website prior to the March 8 meeting, he said.

Pollack also observed that while the inspector’s role was to make observations about the operation of a vendor, it was the market manager’s job to make evaluations based on those observations. He suggested that a category be added with the inspection form: a place for the market manager to indicate whether the vendor complies, requires modifications, or doesn’t comply with market rules. Barkman – who also owns TJ Farms in Chelsea and is a vendor at the market – agreed that it’s important for vendors to know where they stand. It would also eliminate the possibility for a vendor to claim he didn’t understand whether or not he complied, Barkman said – it would be clear.

Pollack said that was the intent – to add clarity to the system.

During public commentary, Luis Vazquez suggested some additional revisions to the forms. It’s not that products should meet MDA and other safety regulations, he said, they must. He wondered who would ensure that proper licensing is in place for vendors. For the inspection form, he said the section on prepared foods needed work, especially as it related to baked goods.

Misc. Updates

Commissioner Shannon Brines highlighted several upcoming food-related events, including the Homegrown Local Food Summit 2010, set for March 2 at the University of Michigan’s Dana Building. The day-long event is a follow-up to last year’s summit, and will include skill-building workshops and discussion of developing a countywide local food campaign. [See Chronicle coverage of the 2009 summit: "Local Food for Thought"]

Brines also mentioned a Feb. 19 urban farming conference to be held on the UM-Dearborn campus, with Robert Kenner – maker of the documentary film Food Inc. – as keynote speaker. And on Feb. 25, the Michigan Good Food Summit will be held in Lansing, he said, with the aim of developing a statewide sustainable food system.

Public Commentary

In addition to the public commentary reported above, Luis Vazquez spoke on several additional topics. He requested information in light of Jayne Miller’s upcoming departure. [Miller, as community services director, is the top city official who oversees the public market operations. She's taken a job as head of the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority – her last day will be Feb. 11.] Vazquez wanted to know whether Miller will be replaced, who the market manager will be reporting to now, and what Miller’s departure means for the commission. [Peter Pollack, the commission's chair, later clarified that market manager Molly Notarianni reports directly to Colin Smith, the city's parks and recreation manager. Smith, in turn, reports to Miller.]

Vazquez also pointed out that two farmers market vendors – Renaissance Acres and Pilar’s Tamales – were featured in the winter 2010 edition of the Edible Wow magazine. It was great to see local vendors highlighted, especially organic producers like Renaissance Acres, he said, and he suggested that the publication be linked to from the market’s website. He also noted that another organic farmer, Peter Stark, would be offering a cooking class at Kerrytown Market & Shops.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Diane Black, Shannon Brines, Peter Pollack, and Genia Service. Also: Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

Wednesday's Ann Arbor Farmers Market was full of holiday greenery for sale. The market also will be open on Friday evening, Dec. 4, from 6-10 p.m. for KindleFest, with live music, food, drink and local vendors. (Photo by the writer.)

Two people – Glenn Thompson and Luis Vazquez – spoke during the time set aside for public comment, criticizing what they view as a lack of enforcement of the market’s rules regarding, respectively, organic products and made-from-scratch baked goods.

Also, Peter Pollack, chair of the commission, reported that Notarianni was ill, but he was sure that if she had been there to make her report, she would have highlighted the Dec. 4 KindleFest at the public market.

Pollack also gave an update about the work of a subcommittee that’s reviewing market policies and procedures.

KindleFest

In conjunction with the Dec. 4 Midnight Madness shopping event in downtown Ann Arbor, the Kerrytown District Association is hosting its first annual KindleFest, which will run from 6-10 p.m. in the public market space next to Kerrytown Market & Shops. There will be artists and other vendors, live music – including carolers – food, drink and fire pits for roasting s’mores. Peter Pollack, chair of the market advisory commission, said the idea is to attract people to the Kerrytown area, which doesn’t typically get much traffic during Midnight Madness.

Policies & Procedures

Commission chair Peter Pollack gave a report on work of the polices and procedures subcommittee, consisting of himself and commissioners Shannon Brines and Dave Barkman. The current market rules have been in place since the summer of 2007, he said, and since then the commission has been keeping track of questions, observations and other feedback from vendors and customers. The subcommittee is now reviewing the rules – a review that was spurred by the commission, not the city administration, he said.

There are two tracks, Pollack said. First, they are revising the vendor application and vendor inspection form, with an eye toward giving more clarity to both of those documents. The commission can make these changes without getting city council approval, he said, as long as the forms conform with market rules. The subcommittee hopes to have drafts by early next year, then bring in vendors for feedback before finalizing the changes. The goal is to have the revisions completed for the 2010 market season, Pollack said.

A longer-term project, Pollack said, was to review the market’s policies and procedures, and ultimately make recommendations to the city’s administration and city council. He said that the subcommittee would next meet on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. at the market office, 315 Detroit St.

During the time set aside for public comment at the end of the meeting, Glenn Thompson said he was surprised to hear about the subcommittee meeting. Given that three commissioners served on the subcommittee, which formed a quorum of the five-member advisory commission, Thompson wondered when and where they planned to publish the minutes from the previous meeting, as required by the Open Meetings Act. He said it was unfortunate that they were conducting meetings outside of the public sphere – it seems like a poor approach and poor policy for a body that claims to be working for transparency, he said.

Pollack responded to Thompson’s comments, noting that the commission itself had only five members. To take advantage of the experience and knowledge of commissioners, the subcommittee had three members, he said, likening it to a working session. The meetings are noticed in advance, and open to the public. [A mention of the Nov. 23 subcommittee meeting was reported in The Chronicle's coverage of the Nov. 3 meeting of the full commission.] “We’re not hiding,” Pollack said. “We’re not doing anything behind closed doors.”

Competition for the Market?

During the time set aside for commissioners to raise items for discussion, Dave Barkman said he’d heard of several instances in which developers and landlords in the area are trying to rent facilities to vendors that currently sell at local farmers markets. He said if vendors are offered better facilities, such as a location that’s indoors, they might decide not to return to the farmers market. It’s something to be aware of, he cautioned.

Peter Pollack noted that there was a time when the Ann Arbor farmers market was unique. That’s not the case anymore, he added, and it’s important to stay competitive. One advantage, he said, was that the entire Kerrytown neighborhood is a destination, not just the market.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Pollack mentioned the vacant retail space at Liberty Lofts as one location that has been cited as a possible market. Barkman said there’s possible interest in a market for workers on the University of Michigan medical campus – similar to a farmers market held on the grounds of the Chelsea Community Hospital.

Public Comment

Glenn Thompson: In addition to his criticism of the subcommittee reported above, Thompson urged commissioners to address the fact that some vendors were misrepresenting their products as organic. The Organic Food Production Act makes it a federal offense to label food as organic if the producer hasn’t been certified, Thompson said. Michigan has a similar law as well. Current market rules would be sufficient to address this, he said – such as enforcing the requirement that vendors submit all licenses and certifications to the market manager, including organic certification. Market rules also prohibit misrepresentation, he said: “Organic at the market must mean as much as organic at the supermarket.” If the commission wants to adopt new rules specific to this issue, Thompson said, he has already provided market manager Molly Notarianni with examples from other Michigan markets in Holland and Lake Orion that regulate the use of the word “organic.” The Ann Arbor market should adopt similarly high standards, he said.

Luis Vazquez: Vazquez also spoke twice, at the beginning and end of the meeting. Holding a sign in the shape of a giant-sized slice of pie with “No Faked Goods” written on it, he began by highlighting an article in the recent issue of Current magazine – “Knowing What You’re Getting” – which looked at claims that certain Ann Arbor farmers market vendors aren’t making their products from scratch. Vazquez noted that market manager Molly Notarianni isn’t quoted in the article. Instead, Jeff Straw, the city’s deputy parks manager, is quoted as stating that the definition of “produced” isn’t specified and is a decision of the market manager. If that’s the case, Vazquez said, and if Notarianni has decided that Kapnick Orchards meets that definition, then “shame on Molly.” If she were at the meeting, he said, he’d wag his finger at her. [Vazquez has raised this issue previously, most recently at the commission's Nov. 3 meeting. See Chronicle coverage: "Public Market Seeks Clarity on Vendors"] He brought copies of signed petitions that he had collected earlier this year from shoppers at the market supporting his position. Markets in dozens of other cities have baked-from-scratch rules, he said, as does the Westside Farmers Market in Ann Arbor. He said he doubted that Kapnick would be accepted as a vendor for the westside market, because of those rules.

During his second public comment speaking turn, Vazquez picked up on Glenn Thompson’s remarks about organic certification, saying that it was a watershed moment because he actually agreed with Thompson. He recalled that Ken King – a former market commissioner and owner of Frog Holler Organic Farm, who died earlier this year – had talked to him several years ago about how difficult and expensive it was for small farms to become certified as organic. Vazquez said he thought that organic farmers should be supported even if they aren’t in compliance with federal statutes. He said it would be more helpful for him if he knew what kinds of pesticides were being used on non-organic produce. Finally, he said he didn’t find the claims of organic produce as egregious a misrepresentation as the more blatant misrepresentation by Kapnick.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Shannon Brines, Peter Pollack, and Genia Service.

Absent: Commissioner Diane Black and Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010 at 6:15 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

Luis Vazquez spoke during public commentary at the Nov. 3 meeting of the Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission, raising issues about whether certain vendors are abiding by market rules.

Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission (Nov. 3, 2009): Last Tuesday’s meeting of the Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission focused on vendors. Market manager Molly Notarianni wanted feedback before making decisions on new vendor applications. And Notarianni presented a financial report that showed most market revenues come from vendor rental fees.

During public commentary, former market commissioner Luis Vazquez questioned whether one vendor actually makes from scratch the products sold at their booth – it’s an issue Vazquez says might be litigated, if the city doesn’t enforce its own rules. During the meeting, Peter Pollack, the commission’s current chair, gave an update on efforts to more clearly define what being “made” actually means.

It was also announced that plans are being made to hold a special market event on Dec. 4 to complement downtown’s annual Midnight Madness.

Potential New Vendors

Molly Notarianni, the city’s market manager, asked for feedback on a half-dozen vendor applications that had come in over the past month, both for stalls and food carts. Proposed products included mini-pies and other baked goods, hot dogs, cider, French pastries, all-purpose seasoning and corn roasted in its husk.

The consensus among commissioners seemed to be that the market had plenty of baked goods. Shannon Brines said that the roasted corn was in the spirit of the market, but was a bit “mono.” Peter Pollack suggested giving priority to vendors who wanted to sell on both Wednesdays and Saturdays, rather than just Saturdays only.

Peter Pollack and Diane Black of the Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission. Black is using a double moss stitch to knit a strip that will become part of a larger tapestry to be sold at a Rudolf Steiner School fundraiser later this year. (Photo by the writer.)

One additional application was somewhat unusual, Notarianni said. Salomon Jost, a current vendor who sells primarily greens, has asked to reapply as a vendor selling cider and apples from Almar Orchard in Flushing. Almar is an organic orchard, where Jost works. Notarianni pointed out that during the winter months, about a quarter or more of the vendors sell apples – did they want to bring on yet another one?

Diane Black noted that no other vendors in the winter sold organic apples and cider – that was a crucial distinction, she said.

Pollack said it was important to understand the relationship between Jost and Almar Orchard, since the application was actually under the name of that business. It needed to be more than just a verbal understanding, he said.

During public commentary at the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Luis Vazquez gave a thumbs up to bringing the orchard into the market, saying that Ann Arbor deserves to have more organics, especially in the winter.

Glenn Thompson, also speaking during the public commentary portion of the meeting, said he always tries to stop by the orchard when he takes US-23 to northern Michigan. He pointed out that while many growers claim to be organic, Almar is certified as an organic grower. Thompson also noted that Almar makes a great hard cider, but acknowledged that it might be difficult to find a way for them to sell it at the market, alluding to restrictions on selling alcohol.

Events and Special Projects

During her market manager’s report, Molly Notarianni said she was collaborating with Kerrytown Market & Shops on a Dec. 4 event, as part of the downtown’s annual Midnight Madness. Typically, the Kerrytown area doesn’t enjoy much activity during Midnight Madness, when many downtown shops extend their hours and offer special sales. This year, they’re planning to offer food, live music and other activities in the market space, Notarianni said, hoping to draw more people to Kerrytown.

Notarianni also noted that last week was the final one for an “apple museum” that had been exhibited at the market. [The exhibit was described in the October farmers market newsletter this way: “This museum is a space for storytelling and exploring Ann Arbor’s heritage in relation to its agricultural past as told through its apple trees … Apple-centric presentations, ranging from making applesauce to apple pie, will accompany the museum space each week.”]

Peter Pollack said the project provided an intriguing opening to other potential topics related to the history of the market and agriculture in Washtenaw County. He said the area used to have a lot of sheep, for example, but that’s not the case today. Notarianni noted that the apple museum was an MFA project that the student wanted to share. Shannon Brines suggested they should put out a call to all the local history buffs who might want to volunteer to do such a project.

Finally, in what Notarianni characterized as exciting news, the Ann Arbor District Library has agreed to archive the market’s oral history project on the library’s website. She said the library will also help edit the recorded interviews, which are being gathered from vendors and customers who share their memories of the market.

Finance, Policy Issues

Commissioners had previously asked market manager Molly Notarianni to begin providing quarterly financial reports, so that they could better track revenues coming into the market as well as expenditures. At Tuesday’s meeting, she gave her first report. The one-page summary listed line items from the city’s Fund 0046 – revenues and expenses for the market, which is part of the parks and recreation budget. The bulk of the $114,267 in revenues for fiscal 2009 came from vendor rentals.

Peter Pollack suggested that the information be organized so that items directly related to the farmers market are grouped together – separated out from other line items, such as revenue from rental of the market space for wedding and special events. The goal, he said, is to have a better understanding of the relationship between money coming in from vendors, and how that money is being spent.

Commissioners also requested more details on the expense line items. Notarianni said she’d make those changes and bring back a revised report at the commission’s Dec. 1 meeting.

Policies and procedures

Peter Pollack reported that the policy subcommittee was working on two tasks: 1) reviewing the market’s rules, application form and inspection form, to ensure consistency, and doing the same for its bylaws and enabling legislation; and 2) examining the language of the market rules to see whether they need to be clarified, expanded or reorganized. He said they hope to meet with vendors and the general public in February or March to discuss possible changes. Ultimately, their suggestions would be sent as recommendations to the city’s administration, he said.

The subcommittee’s next meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 23 at the market office, 315 Detroit St., beginning at 6 p.m.

During public commentary at the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Luis Vazquez said he was curious to know about possible changes to the market rules. He said he’d spent years working on rules, only to have them tossed aside by Jayne Miller, the city’s community services administrator. [Vazquez previously served on the market commission, which he also chaired.]

Public Commentary

Two people spoke during public commentary, and both spoke twice – at the beginning and end of the meeting.

Luis Vazquez: Vazquez said he’d come to talk about market policy and to continue to voice complaints he’s been making about the enforcement of market rules. He read from an email sent by market inspector Matt Demmon in June of 2008, in which Demmon states that all of the products he had inspected up to then were made from scratch. Vazquez then read from an inspection report that Demmon had filed in July 2008, which stated that Kapnick Orchards was making products from mixes and frozen dough. “I find this to be distressing,” Vazquez told the commission.

Every vendor signs an affidavit stating that they are following the market’s operating rules, Vazquez said, yet when there are violations, nothing is done about it.

Vazquez also took issue with a letter he’d received in August 2009 from Jayne Miller, the city’s community services administrator, telling him that his complaint against Kapnick had been dismissed. He characterized the letter as a kind of threat, and wondered why she’d written it, given that he hadn’t appealed the issue to her.

“I’m going to continue to raise this issue again and again until I get some kind of resolution out of it,” he said. [Vazquez raised similar concerns against Kapnick Orchards at the Aug. 5, 2009 Ann Arbor city council caucus.]

In addition, Vazquez mentioned a complaint he’s filed against two other vendors, J&T Gracia and Island Farms, charging that they are not properly licensed as growers of perennial plants. He said he hoped that the market management would ensure that all vendors have the proper licenses.

Vazquez told commissioners to expect to hear from a community group that would have legal standing and would possibly file a lawsuit against the market and the city for not enforcing its rules.

Glenn Thompson: Thompson said that for years, the market has operated under a set of easy-to-understand rules that applied to all vendors. Now, there’s a proposal for rules to apply to just one group, he said. [The commission is developing new policies to define what it means to "make" a product, for different categories of vendors. See Chronicle coverage of the commission's October meeting: "How Much Do You Spend at the Market?"] It would be better, Thompson said, to focus on the market’s long-term health, ensuring a diversity of products, with more than one vendor selling similar products so that there are more choices for shoppers. In general, he said, the market is functioning well.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Diane Black, Shannon Brines, and Peter Pollack. Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Absent: Genia Service.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

At Wednesday’s Ann Arbor Farmers Market, customers were asked to answer questions by using sticky dots. (Photo by the writer.)

Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission meeting (Oct. 6, 2009): Shoppers at Wednesday’s Ann Arbor Farmers Market might have encountered a few things they hadn’t seen before: 1) Five easels with questions about how customers use the market, 2) three new vendors and 3) a film crew for the movie “Naked Angel.”

The first two were among several items discussed at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Public Market Advisory Commission. The group also talked about Halloween plans for the market – it falls on a Saturday this year – and reviewed its recent working session, which focused on policy issues and outreach.

Market Assessment

During her market manager report, Molly Notarianni told commissioners that the Michigan Farmers Market Association would be conducting a “rapid market assessment” at Wednesday’s market. [.PDF of a technical report outlining RMA techniques.] About 10 volunteers would be estimating attendance and conducting surveys of vendors and shoppers. One of the ways they planned to survey shoppers was through “dot voting” – the easels set up near the market office on Wednesday asked five multiple-choice questions, and shoppers indicated their answers by placing a colored sticky dot in the appropriate spot.

The questions (with an unofficial indication of votes, as of late Wednesday morning):

• How did you find out about today’s market? (flyers/posters, newspaper ads, online/website, farmers market email, word of mouth, regular shopper): “Regular shopper” was by far the most frequent answer.
• What was your primary form of payment? (cash, Bridge Card, Project Fresh, other): Cash was the overwhelming choice of payment.
• How many adults are in your shopping party? (1 through 6+): Most people answering the survey came by themselves or with one other adult.
• What was the most important reason you came to the market today? (food items, arts & crafts, atmosphere & experience, buy local, purchase organic, none of these): Most shoppers chose “food items” or “buy local.”
• How much did you spend at the market? (In $5 increments, from 0 to “$50 or more”): Dots were fairly evenly distributed between $5 to $25, with a few outliers.

Notarianni said that the Michigan Farmers Market Association had received a grant to study Electronic Benefit Transfers, or EBTs. The program uses Bridge Cards, which act like debit cards and have replaced food stamps. [We first wrote about the market's use of Bridge Cards a year ago.] The Ann Arbor market is one of several being studied for this grant, she said. Though market assessments of this kind typically cost several hundred dollars, because of the grant, the Ann Arbor market would be getting a comprehensive report from the assessment without charge.

Diane Allan and Debbie Moran of Pasta é Pasta, a new market vendor. They are twins, and also run a store in Chesterfield. (Photo by the writer.)

New Vendors, Halloween

Notarianni said that three vendors had joined the Wednesday market over the past month: Pasta é Pasta, which sells pasta and pasta sauces; Café Japon, which also operates a store at 113 E. Liberty in Ann Arbor; and Stephen Kinnard, a local photographer.

At Tuesday’s commission meeting, Notarianni also gave an update on plans for Halloween. The market is coordinating activities with Kerrytown Market & Shops, which plans to have storytelling, cider and donuts, and trick-or-treating at stores within the two-story complex. Notarianni said the market might have a pumpkin-carving event, and encourage kids to come in costume and trick-or-treat at the vendors.

Commissioner Genia Service relayed a suggestion from the owners of the Community Farm of Ann Arbor, who proposed having the vendors dress up in costume. Shoppers could vote on the costume they like best, she said. Commissioner Dave Barkman, owner of TJ Farms in Chelsea, wryly suggested that costumes for vendors be optional. Commissioner Shannon Brines of Brines Farm in Dexter said he wasn’t sure what kind of costume he’d put on at 5:30 in the morning. “I wear a costume every week as it is – as a ‘tired vendor’.”

Peter Pollack, who chairs the commission, noted that the partnership with Kerrytown Market & Shops, located next to the public market, had broader implications for more coordinated events throughout the year.

Recap of Working Session

Commissioners held a working session on Sept. 22, and Pollack reviewed what they’d discussed at that meeting. Notarianni had outlined her main goals for the coming year: 1) to increase participation in the EBT program, 2) to better promote the farmers market and public market space, and 3) to engage the commissioners more fully.

Pollack said those goals led to a discussion that focused on two areas: policy, including operations and procedures for the market, and outreach.

Policy issues

At their working session, commissioners talked about several topics related to market policy, Pollack said. They agreed to start a schedule of receiving regular financial reports, in particular to track the money that comes into the market account and to see how that money is spent. Notarianni plans to provide the first one at the commission’s November meeting.

Commissioners discussed the content of the vendor application, and the need to make sure the application is up to date.

They also looked at the issue of tracking complaints, and talked about possibly adjusting market policies. During Wednesday’s meeting, Brines suggested that the commission consider publishing a procedure for handling complaints, so that people can understand the process. He wondered if there were a uniform, citywide procedure for handling complaints that they might use. People who complain usually just want some sort of response, he said, even if it’s not the one they’re looking for.

Notarianni said there used to be an official complaint procedure, but it had been eliminated several years ago. Pollack added that the complaint procedure was removed when the city restructured the commission, taking away its administrative authority. It was judged inappropriate for the commission to handle complaints, he said.

Brines said he wasn’t suggesting that the commission respond, but they could provide information about how to file a complaint. Perhaps it was something that their policy subcommittee could deal with, he said.

Pollack noted that the commission is not an administrative body – they provide advice and suggest policy. He said they have very little to do with complaints, except as it relates to tracking them and developing policies.

Pollack reported that another policy issue emerging from the working session related to the definition of “made.” They’ve received some complaints alleging that certain vendors didn’t make the products they were selling. Genia Service noted that the issue of “thaw and bake” products kept resurfacing. [The Chronicle previously reported on a specific complaint voiced during the Ann Arbor city council Sunday caucus meeting on Aug. 5, 2009. At that meeting, Luis Vazquez, a former public market commissioner, contended that baked goods sold by Kapnick Orchards are prepared using a thaw-and-bake product.]

At Wednesday’s market commission meeting, Notarianni reminded commissioners that they’d discussed plans to define “made” and “significant effort” for each category of goods at the market. Pollack said that it was rare to have a producer-only market like the one in Ann Arbor. “That’s an aspect of the market that’s absolutely worth protecting,” he said.

The policy subcommittee, which includes Pollack and Brines, plans to meet sometime within the next month.

Outreach, marketing

One of the things that came out of their discussion about activities and events at the market, Pollack said, was the fact that on market days, Notarianni doesn’t have time to manage special events. That means that commissioners or other volunteers need to take responsibility on those days, he said. This prompted commissioner Genia Service to volunteer for Halloween, vowing to wear a costume and help organize the pumpkin carving.

Pollack said he thought it would be a good idea to compile a year-long calendar of events. Notarianni said that putting together such a calendar would be a good wintertime project – the market was slower and she’d have more time to do it.

At their working session, commissioners also discussed how to cultivate volunteers, Pollack said. Notarianni said she liked the idea of some kind of regular volunteer orientation. At the Portland, Ore. market, where she previously worked, they gave monthly market tours for volunteers and anyone who was interested, she said.

Pollack said that an orientation might be one way to use the oral histories that are being collected at the market. Another option might be to play those recordings in the market office during certain hours, he said, adding that it’s important to get the most use out of all of the activities and events they did.

Tossing out another marketing idea, Notarianni said she’d been to a market in New York where each stall had a sign with a photo of the vendor, a short write-up about them, and a map indicating where their farm or business was located within the state. She’d like to do something similar in Ann Arbor. Genia Service suggested asking volunteers to help out with collecting the information, and she agreed to do the layout for it herself.

Commissioners scheduled a meeting for the outreach subcommittee on Oct. 13, 2009 at 6 p.m. in the market office, 315 Detroit St. The meeting is open to the public.

Market Renovations

Notarianni reported that the first phase of market renovations were nearly complete. The structure covering the walkways had been painted, and new fluorescent lights were installed. Vendors in particular like the new lights, she said, because they are much brighter than the previous ones. Eventually, induction lights will be installed down the center of the ceiling – those lights are more energy efficient, and will be lit when the market isn’t in use. Also, the installation of a new stereo/intercom system is almost finished.

Peter Pollack asked if she’d heard any information about the next phase of the market renovation, which hasn’t yet been scheduled. Notarianni said she did not know how soon that would move ahead.

Later in the meeting, Dave Barkman asked whether the city could replace some of the signs throughout the market, which were looking tattered, he said. Pollack said it might be an opportunity to look at all the signs in the market – he suggested inquiring about possible funding from the Downtown Development Authority.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Diane Black, Shannon Brines, Genia Service, Peter Pollack. Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Next meeting: The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm dates]

Photographer Stephen Kinnard talks with a shopper at Wednesday’s farmers market. He’s a new vendor, and said he plans to tough out the winter to earn the title of “Sub-Zero Hero.” (Photo by the writer.)

A film crew for “Naked Angel” was shooting at Wednesday’s farmers market. The director, Christina Morales Hemenway, is to the left of the woman in the white vest. (Photo by the writer.)

Dave Barkman, the newest member of the Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission, sitting on the back of his truck at Wednesday's farmers market. Barkman is the owner of TJ Farms in Chelsea. (Photo by the writer.)

Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission (Sept. 1, 2009): Tuesday marked the start of Local Food Month in Ann Arbor. Tuesday also was the start of a three-year term for the newest member of the city’s Public Market Advisory Commission, who’s also a vendor at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market: Dave Barkman, of TJ Farms in Chelsea.

By way of introduction, Barkman noted that he’s been selling at the farmers market for 28 years. He said he knows a lot of stories, though he didn’t tell any at Tuesday’s meeting. Others did have stories to tell, however – about weddings at the market, medicinal sweet buns, “enthusiastic support” for the Sept. 12 Homegrown Festival and more.

Vendor Applications

Market manager Molly Notarianni told commissioners that over the past month about a dozen different vendors had applied to sell their products at either the Wednesday or Saturday markets, or both. [Link to vendor application form.] Two photographers had applied, she said, as had several farmers and other food vendors. Several wanted to sell products that were already available at the market, including fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants.

Other applicants offered less usual fare. An applicant for a food cart vendor described selling items that incorporate traditional Chinese medicine, including “steamed healing sweet buns” and “sweet lotus rolls.” Another person hadn’t yet filled out an application, but had queried whether he could sell fish at the market. “I’ll do some more research on that,” Notarianni said, “but it could be great.”

Notarianni asked commissioners whether they had any feedback on the current batch of applications. Diane Black wondered whether it made sense to add vendors who were selling essentially the same product as current vendors. “It seems like adding more of the same is making less profit for everyone,” she said. Dave Barkman pointed to the volume of produce that was donated by vendors each week to the nonprofit Food Gatherers at the end of the market day. He said it would make more sense to point some of these applicants to smaller markets in the region that need more vendors, specifically, farmers markets in Dexter, Chelsea, Northville and the Westside Farmers Market at Zingerman’s Roadhouse.

Commissioners also discussed the need for more shoppers, especially at the Wednesday market, and how offering a wider variety of products would be one way to draw new customers.

Special Events

Molly Notarianni briefed commissioners on several upcoming events at the public market. On Saturday, Sept. 5, the nonprofit Peace, Love & Planet will be collecting plastic garden  pots and trays to recycle. Thursday, Sept. 10 will be the season’s final Trunk-a-Palooza, a weekly event where people sell all sorts of things out of the back of their vehicles. On the following night, Sept. 11, the Ozone House will hold an open-air fundraising dinner at the market, with most of the meal provided by Kerrytown restaurants and food businesses.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, the second annual HomeGrown Festival will take place at the farmers market from 5-10 p.m. The event’s chair, Shannon Brines of Brines Farm, is also a member of the Public Market Advisory Commission, though he did not attend Tuesday’s meeting. The commission did pass a motion at the meeting declaring their “enthusiastic support” for the event.

Finally, Notarianni reported that the 7th annual Kerrytown Bookfest will be held at the market on Sunday, Sept. 13 and will include several food-themed panel discussions.

Notarianni also mentioned that two weddings had been held recently at the market. She said she’d gotten feedback from people who had happened upon the events, and who remarked on how delightful it was to see weddings at that location. This prompted commissioner Diane Black to say, “If I ever marry again, I’ll hold my wedding there!” Commissioner Peter Pollack said he’d hold her to that promise.

Market Renovations

Notarianni updated commissioners on renovations at the market. The surface underneath the roof has been repainted, and the posts supporting the roof will be repainted soon. Decorative stripes will be painted on the aisles in different colors to be used for wayfinding, and new fluorescent lights recently arrived and will be installed later this month. All of these renovations should be completed in the next few weeks, she said.

Working Session: Goals for 2010

Commissioners scheduled a special working session on Tuesday, Sept. 22 to discuss their goals for the coming year. Peter Pollack, who chairs the commission, said he hoped the group could be more proactive in their efforts regarding policies, education and other areas. He noted that the Downtown Development Authority and the Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation have expressed interest in what happens at the public market, and that the commission should reach out to others who have a role to play in how the market is used. He proposed using the working session to put together a list of what they’d like to accomplish, to identify tasks for each of them to do, and to then get moving.

One possible project, Pollack said, might be to look at how the farmers market can connect with entities that make land conservation purchases, like the city of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County or the Legacy Land Conservancy. The idea would be to support a possible farm incubator, with the market providing a venue to sell produce from the farm.

The Sept. 22 working session will be open to the public and held at the market office, a building located within the farmers market at 315 Detroit St. It’s scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m.

Vendor Complaint

Molly Notarianni reported one complaint she’d received from a vendor who was upset about being charged a $55 inspection fee. The vendor had two concerns: 1) the fee was too high, and 2) she hadn’t been aware of the charge until she got the bill. This is the first year that vendors have been charged for the mandatory inspections made to verify that their products are grown or made locally. Notarianni said she sent out a notice to vendors reminding them of the inspection process and the fee. Commissioner Dave Barkman suggested that when the inspector calls to make an appointment with the vendor, he can mention the fee at that time.

Public Comment

There were two opportunities for public commentary during the meeting, but only one person – Glenn Thompson – spoke during the general public commentary time at the end of the meeting. Thompson made two points: 1) Though he’d seen improvements in vendor identification at the market stalls, there wasn’t as much improvement as he’d like, and 2) many vendors don’t display prices on their products, which causes customers to spend time asking questions about pricing. To expedite sales, he asked the commission to encourage vendors to mark their prices clearly.

Present: Commissioners Dave Barkman, Diane Black, Genia Service, Peter Pollack. Molly Notarianni, market manager.

Absent: Shannon Brines

Next meeting: The commission will hold a working session on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. at the market office, 315 Detroit St. The meeting is open to the public. The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. in the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [confirm dates]

A slide of the Ann Arbor Farmers Market during the 1960s, when men apparently wore suits to shop.

Market history: Thursday’s meeting began with a slide show by commissioner and landscape architect Peter Pollack, who described how the farmers market and the Kerrytown area around it have changed over the years.

Many of the major changes since the early 1980s – including street lighting and the bricking of Detroit and Fourth – have been funded with help from the Downtown Development Authority. At times there were more social spaces for shoppers, including wooden park benches near the market. Pollack also showed a slide of when large ash trees towered over the market, and another one after they’d been removed following destruction by the emerald ash borer. And he noted that trees are selected for installation around the area for specific reasons. The Bradford pear trees, for example, were picked in part because they flower in the spring, visually signaling the start of the growing season.

Pollack also included slides of markets in Toronto and Seattle. These markets provided examples of things the Ann Arbor market might want to consider, such as themed activities on certain days of the week, more visible signs promoting the market, and large portable tents that could give the market more flexible space.

As Pollack was wrapping up around 6:30 p.m., a man came in and told the commission that he had reserved the room for a meeting of about 40 election inspectors. Since that group was much larger than the market commission – which included four commissioners and market manager Molly Notarianni – they decided to relocate to a small conference room on the fourth floor. (Notarianni later asked Pollack if he could provide the slides to be posted on the market’s website, and he agreed.)

Seniority rules: When the commission reconvened in its new location, the next major item on the agenda concerned seniority rules for market vendors, which had been much discussed at previous meetings. Based on the feedback they’d gotten and discussions they’d had, Pollack proposed extending the current system for another year. Notarianni suggested that they postpone a vote on this topic until next month’s meeting, because they were currently not being televised (only the council chambers is set up with CTN cameras) and next month they would be. The commissioners agreed. Pollack said that would also allow them to write up a resolution and post it in advance of the meeting.

Commissioner Peter Pollack, market manager Molly Notarianni, and commissioner Shannon Brines at the Oct. 30 Public Market Advisory Commission meeting.

Operating rules: Pollack updated the commission on a review of the market’s operating rules. Some are being tweaked in small ways, he said. One example he cited is clarifying a vendor’s relationship to products grown on leased land. Ultimately, the commission will make a recommendation to city staff for possible changes.

Invasive species at the market: Pollack reported that a market-goer had notified the commission about a vendor who was selling invasive plants – specifically, Asian bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). He noted that the city has an invasive species list and that of course they shouldn’t be for sale at the market. He suggested adding it to the update of operating rules.

Meeting location during upcoming city hall construction: Notarianni reported that while it’s not yet clear where meetings will be held during the project to rebuild city hall, it looks like the city plans to scale back on the number of public meetings that will be televised on CTN. That means, perhaps, that only the larger groups – like city council, the planning commission, the park advisory commission – will be broadcast. Notarianni said she would continue to advocate for airing the market commission, a strategy that was supported by commissioners. Pollack said that if they are cut from CTN’s lineup, they need to make sure to hold meetings in an easily accessible venue, and possibly videotape them independently.

Market manager’s report: Notarianni updated the group on several initiatives. She said the market’s website has started highlighting local restaurants that support local growers. Also, the market is nearly ready to begin accepting Michigan Bridge cards (formerly known as food stamps), which The Chronicle has previously reported. She’s working with the Community Action Network on possible projects, like offering cooking and nutrition classes or helping transport people to the market. CAN provides support to people living in local public housing projects.

Finally, responding to queries from the commissioners, Notarianni established that she ate and drank very well at the recent Slow Food biennial conference in Turin, which commissioner Shannon Brines also attended (he described the logistics of the event as “very Italian”). She’ll be making a more detailed presentation about that event at next month’s meeting.

Report on joint working session with the Greenbelt Advisory Commission: Just prior to the market commission meeting, Pollack and Notarianni attended a joint session with some members of the Greenbelt Advisory Commission to talk about ways they could collaborate. Pollack said that since he and GAC member Sylvia Taylor are also on the county’s Natural Areas Technical Advisory Committee, three groups were represented. Several ideas were discussed, Pollack said, including the possibility of starting a farm incubator program on land that’s either part of the greenbelt or the county’s natural areas preservation program. Pollack said the groups expect to have similar joint meetings in the future.

Local food summit: Brines, who was soldiering through the meeting despite his serious head cold, reported that on the heels of September’s Homegrown Fest, which he helped organize, there’s a group that’s planning a local food summit. They hope to hold it early next year at Matthaei Botanical Garden and bring together local farmers, chefs, gardening groups, schools, government officials – really, anyone and everyone who’s interested in supporting a local food network. No date has yet been set, but it will likely be a weekday, Brines said. He operates Brines Farm in Dexter and is a vendor at the farmers market.

Market commissioners Diane Black and Genia Service at the Oct. 30 meeting.

Homework for next meeting: Pollack asked all commissioners to brainstorm ideas for 2009, so that they can begin to prioritize what they’d like to see at the market next year. Ideas tossed out at the meeting included having a month-long themed series of events, and holding special events like pumpkin carving near Halloween or storytelling sessions during market hours.

Present: Diane Black, Genia Service, Peter Pollack, Shannon Brines. Absent: Ken King

Next meeting: Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. in the 2nd floor council chambers, Guy C. Larcom, Jr. Municipal Building, 100 N. Fifth Ave.