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Market staff outlines season schedule, 75 vendor applications and a 15-proposal RFP for community engagement
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Summary
Staff said Saturday market will return to 7 a.m. starts on May 2, Wednesday market reopens May 6, cooking demos start May 12 and Flower Day is set for May 24. The market received 75 vendor applications for roughly 16 openings; staff received 15 RFP proposals for a community-engagement firm and will narrow to a top five.
Market staff reported several operational updates for the upcoming season and gave commissioners a progress report on vendor selection and a community-engagement RFP.
S2 said Saturday market will return to a 7 a.m. start beginning May 2 and Wednesday market will begin its regular season on May 6. Cooking demonstrations, supported by a Michigan Farmers Market Association food-safety grant, will start May 12 at 11 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Flower Day is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the market will host a new food-walking tour as part of A2O week on June 3.
On vendor selection, staff reported the market received 75 new-vendor applications by the April 1 deadline — about eight more than last year — and that there are roughly 16 open spots for new regular vendors; of the accepted group, S2 said there are 16 new regular vendors and two new mobile food vendors. Staff said notifications to accepted vendors have been sent and rejections are still being processed due to volume.
S2 also briefed commissioners on an RFP to select a firm to conduct community engagement with vendors and stakeholders. "We got 15 proposals," S2 said; staff, Remy Long and Parks Planner Adam Fercho will narrow the pool toward a top five and may involve PMAC members if further review is close.
Votes at a glance: the commission approved the meeting agenda and approved the previous meeting's minutes by voice votes during this session.
Staff said annual-stall fees remain due June 30 and that CivicRec invoicing is being implemented to allow real-time invoice edits and improved online payment options; staff noted that in-person payments will still be accepted at the market office but not at city-hall customer service because of system differences.
