The Waukesha Farmers’ Market kickoff is only a few months away, and while the Waukesha Business Improvement District remains in limbo, a group of local business owners is taking over the market.
The BID previously ran the farmers’ market; however, this season it will be run by the Waukesha Downtown Business Association. The change leaves some questioning if the market will continue to receive funding from the BID while the BID’s future is being determined.
City Administrator Ed Henschel told Waukesha Patch on Thursday the DBA will not received BID funding; however, a determination will have to be made about payments already made by vendors to the BID for 2013. The payments would either have to be forwarded to the DBA or returned to the vendors, he said.
The Waukesha Farmers’ Market expanded in 2012, doubling from the 2011 season to more than 100 vendors. The DBA took over running the market during the last two months of the 2012 season after Executive Director Meghan Sprager resigned, citing a hostile work environment.
In the meantime, the BID Board of Directors will not meet while the dissolving process moves forward. More than 60 percent of people owning property in the district have signed a petition for it to disband after years of disagreements about the special taxing district.
“We can meet, but I don’t see any object to it,” Henschel said. “I think we need to know whether the BID is going to exist or not exist.”
A public hearing about terminating the BID is scheduled for March 6, according to a letter from Community Development Director Steve Crandell.
The BID has been in a state of upheaval for months – although some say problems have been occurring for years. After the former executive director resigned from her position, citing bullying and a harassing work environment, the majority of the BID board resigned from their positions. After months of battling, the Common Council and the mayor finally agreed to appoint enough members to restore the board.
The BID has existed since 1986 and its operations are funded by a special tax assessment in the downtown business district. The Waukesha mayor appoints members to the Board of Directors, who are then approved by the Common Council.
State statutes require the city to terminate its BID if property owners from more than 50 percent of the assessed value in the district petition to leave the district.
I'm just happy, along with thousands of other people, that we have people to run Freeman Friday Night Live and the Farmer's Market! Thank you!!!
Barta raised some great points that deserve to be addressed. It appears that the only thing the opposition can muster is a third grade attempt at mocking . And not ONE shred of evidence to counter his assertions. The opposition helps cement the reality of the Barta position by making their side look juvenile and uninformed.
Thankfully we have a new administrator and mayor that see the value of the Farmers Market to Waukesha, and have taken the steps necessary to find a solution and keep the Market going this year!
I have no dog in the fight as I do not own a store down town. Here is my 2 cents. I like the theory but really 1-2 a summer is enough for me. However knowing that it will be a zoo, I avoid going down there otherwise. What if was once a month?
bahwahhahahaa joined 2/21 and has one post, just on this issue 802 joined 2/22 and has one post, just on this issue Improvement joined 2/22 and has one post, just on this issue Friend of Waukesha joined 2/22 and has one post, just on this issue Jenny joined 2/22 and has one post, just on this issue the sha joined 2/22 and has 2 posts but just on this issue, Becca B joined 2/22 and has one post, just on this issue Stephanie joined 2/22 and has one post. just on this issue I have my opinion as to why this is relevant but I hoprfully the people reading this will come to their own conclusions.
Mr Lundt, I appreciate your comments, its refreshing to see others without a dog in the fight actually get it. Unfortunately, the WDBA is unwilling to compromise, to not only help their neighbors but to improve the event. Some of their members use rumors, spread lies, call for boycotts of other businesses to quiet the opposition and isolated dissenting voices. That is deplorable. But just as deplorable is that the WDBA membership knows this goes on, yet it tolerates the behavior which is just as bad. For years, the fear of retribution kept businesses from speaking out, creating the illusion of a "united" downtown. That time is gone though. Ten members of the business community spoke out at a common council meeting in support of the Executive Directors allegations. It is not a viable ploy nor is the anonymous attacks in a forum such as this.
For those who have bedn distracted from the topic (which is of course the whole purpose of this childish behavior), the problems downtown stem from a group that treated people poorly to get their own way and a mayor who has encouraged and blindly supported them. Numerous staff from the BID had to leave jobs they loved because of being harrassed. The mayor is rewarding this group with the Farmer's Market despite not having any authority to do so. Some people feel this is improper others support it. Back on track, now please debate the issues, stop the childish attacks.
Barta listed 9 questions pertaining to the topic at hand. Not one person has had the stones to answer the questions. I was looking forward to a debate. Instead the opposition can only fall back on childish name calling and petty innuendo. You and your ilk have done nothing but try (and fail) to mock or impune people that even dare QUESTION. As stated earlier I don't have a dog in the fight--but as an outside observer it is clear who has facts and plan and who is left to simple name calling and nothing of significance. In the end there was a debate...sadly one group thought that the score was being kept by new log ins and name calling. The real world does not operate at such a 2nd grade level. At the begining, for all I knew , Barta may have been poorly informed on every single issue. However he is the only one that manged to hold himself up as an adult and bring facts and valid questions. Since his opposition was only able to resort to name calling---it is a clear indication that beyond the names they have nothing. For if they did, they would bring it.
The Farmers' Market this year will be a continued blessing to the Waukesha area families and residents. I'm looking forward to the bakery, honey, cheese, vegetables, fruit and flowers!
http://www.waukeshafarmersmarket.com Here's to being positive and moving forward!
That is not a plan..that is a wish.