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EDC backs market policing and explores music funding, analytics for evening markets
Summary
EDC staff said the EDC will pay for police presence at the downtown market; vendors and volunteer organizers asked for modest funding for evening market entertainment and better tracking (Eventany) to measure sales and foot traffic.
Board and market organizers discussed support for the downtown farmers market, including covering police presence and funding evening music to attract families and more curated vendors.
An EDC representative said the executive committee approved using EDC funds to pay for police presence at the market (an expense not previously budgeted). Market organizer Nancy Wilk asked the EDC to consider a modest budget to bring music to the Saturday evening markets to increase downtown visitation and vendor success; she named local performers who will appear soon.
Board members asked about metrics to assess success. Several suggested quarterly checks of vendor sales or sales-tax receipts; Nancy said the market plans to implement Eventany (an event-management platform) to improve vendor management and tracking. Kate Bunch, a market/business participant, described signage and parking strategies that led 50—60 people to use a particular lot and walk down Main Street.
Staff and board members discussed producing a downtown parking map and better signage to reduce the perception that parking is scarce. Staff said they will coordinate a parking map and continue outreach to downtown businesses to increase synergy between restaurants and market activity.
Next steps: staff to coordinate with market organizers on a modest entertainment budget (within marketing funds) and to implement Eventany for vendor coordination and tracking of basic participation metrics; staff will also produce a parking map for downtown.
