The Public Record | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site (https://www.thepublicrecord.ca/topics/hamilton-farmers-market/)
36-page report details serious problems with vendor representative behaviour, including a vendor rep who refuses to obey rules or pay fines.
Report calls for a new citizen led Board with only one vendor rep.
Market vendors are requesting a rent reduction in line with the federal Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program, City Council says they need more info before voting on the $150,000 request.
It is necessary that the City support local small businesses in whatever way we have at our disposal and we need to set an example that this is the right thing to do – Esther Pauls, Ward 7 City Councillor
“As much as I am committed to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market I can no longer, as a matter of personal integrity, be part of the Board, whose focus has shifted to the demands of one stakeholder group at the expense of the wishes and needs of other stakeholders” – Marisa Di Censo
Vendors will be expected to remain open until 6pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturdays. Board authorizes Market Manager to enforce hours.
Council is meeting as the sole voting member of the Hamilton Farmers’ Market Corporation for the Annual General Meeting as required by the Corporations Act.
The meeting is required to delegate authorities to the Farmers’ Market Board and begins at 1:30 p.m. on June 8, 2016. Live video will be provided by The Public Record.
A report at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market Corporation AGM informs City Councillors the Market needs work to replace “loading dock lifts, freight elevator, and some of the power transformers.
Citizen appointee resigns from Market Board after vendors object to her appointment on grounds that her day job is with the City.
Council’s Governance Committee (responsible for accountability and transparency) meet to discuss municipal proclamations in Hamilton, a ban on corporate and union donations to municipal candidates, remote online attendance for Councillors to vote at meetings, and resignation from the Farmers’ Market Board which lead to a debate on term limits for citizen committees. Council voted to get a more detailed staff report on municipal proclamations, voted to take no action on banning union or corporation donations, asked for staff to further research remote online attendance in meetings, accepted – with reservations – the resignation from the Farmers’ Market Board, and asked for a future staff report on limiting citizen appointees to committees to two successive council terms (8 years). Full Agenda PDF
More in-depth:
There is a more in-depth The Public Record story from this meeting on the Farmers’ Market Board and Citizen Committee Term Limits:
Councillor’s Call Farmers’ Market Board Behaviour “Reprehensible”, Move to Study Citizen Committee Term Limits