Council reviews farmers market management draft, moves agreement to April 6 vote

The Poplar Bluff City Council reviewed a draft management agreement with Grow Our Downtown Inc. for operation of the Poplar Bluff farmers market and voted to send the draft to the April 6 voting session for final consideration.

At the workshop discussion, Phyllis Baker, speaking for Grow Our Downtown, flagged several items she said need clarification in the draft: the organization name does not include “Poplar Bluff,” the contract references city ordinance language about permits that the organization does not currently practice (no permit physically displayed on stalls), and an 80% produce / 20% value‑added formula could exclude bakers and other vendors who offer no produce. “The word Poplar Bluff is not in it,” Baker said; she also asked whether the permit‑display requirement in the ordinance should be revised to match practice.

Baker and other market representatives described the market’s current finances and operations: roughly $12,000 on hand, vendor fees that Baker said are $100 a year for inside stalls, $50 a year for outside stalls and $20 for a single‑day vendor. Baker told the council that additional liability coverage the city requested (a secondary policy naming the city with a $1,000,000 minimum) produced insurance quotes that could strain the market’s small reserve; she proposed deferring purchase of the extra policy until the group secures a grant. “What if we don't pay it this year? And if we get the grant, we'll pay it after that,” Baker said.

Speakers discussed a vendor wish list tied to a potential USDA grant — flushable toilets, a handwashing station, ceiling fans and a longer season — and questioned contract clauses that would require the contractor to perform unspecified “additional work” or to complete renovations within 90 days. City staff said they will work with the city attorney and the market group to revise unclear clauses and to clarify which events must carry separate insurance.

After discussion, a councilmember moved and another seconded to move the draft agreement to the April 6 voting session to allow time for staff and the city attorney to incorporate suggested edits; the motion passed by voice vote. City staff said they will circulate a revised draft to Grow Our Downtown and council members prior to the voting session.

The council did not adopt the agreement at this meeting; council members asked staff to provide revised contract language, insurance options and any relevant clarifications about permits, taxes and construction timelines before formal action.