[Vision2020] The Animal Farmer's Market --Proposed Market Policies

Fri Feb 17 12:31:11 PST 2012

Even though I, too, love dogs, I completely disagree with Wayne on this:
other than service animals, I don't believe dogs belong at the Farmer's
Market anymore.  Actually, I suppose a more fair statement would be that
some dog owners don't belong at the Farmer's Market, but since we can't keep
them out, we should be able to keep their dogs out.

While we don't frequent the Farmer's Market as much as we used to (in part,
due to the dogs), the Farmer's Market seems to have the same problem with
dogs the rest of Moscow has:  too many people fail to leash and/or control
their dogs, and to clean up after them.  

Bluntly put, there's nothing quite like getting some yummy food from a
vendor & then noticing a terrible stench, only to find that you've stepped
in a steaming pile of dog you-know-what.  I've stepped in more of that at
Farmer's Market than I ever have at any parks in town, including the dog
park!  Perhaps those are the same owners who never clean up after their dogs
anywhere . . . or maybe they just fail to notice what their dogs are doing
in the crowd.  Who know?  But whatever the reason is, it's flatly
disgusting, not to mention completely unsanitary around food, particularly
for the families who bring naturally small children whose hands & faces are
naturally closer to the ground and who do belong at the Farmer's Market.

Perhaps rather than banning dogs from Farmer's Market, a better solution is
to provide shoe cleaning stations so the rest of us have ways to take care
of the problem for all those "wonderful and responsible" dog owners who pay
no attention to their dogs crapping & pissing all over the place at the
Market.

And, just because I love dogs doesn't mean that I love any dog who is
decides to run & jump up on me . . . or to tie me up in its leash while its
owner pays absolutely no attention to it.  I can't tell you the number of
times I've seen both of those things happen from the same dogs over & over
again on the same day!  Sheesh!

And then, of course, there are those dog owners who think their dogs are so
wonderful they should be able to harass every other dog at the Farmer's
Market.  I don't blame the offended dogs for snapping at those annoying
ones, but I also don't think it's fair for the nearby people to be bashed
into & nearly knocked over - and in the cases of small children, actually
knocked to the ground - when the harasser lunges back from the harassed
snapper.

In fairness, I've also seen a lot of dog owners who do keep their dogs
leashed & under control, and I do enjoy seeing those dogs at Farmer's Market
or elsewhere around town.

But, there are, IMO, far too many of the other kind, something that to me
seemed to become a bigger issue as the Farmer's Market became more
successful.

And, here's another thing:  the Farmer's Market "community" has had ample
opportunity to police itself with respect to misbehaving dogs & owners, and
they've been pretty unsuccessful at it, either because people have just
ignored the growing problem (which seems to be the case - 99% of people seem
to just turn a blind eye) or because the irresponsible dog owners are . . .
irresponsible!  I tried to make helpful & informative comments a couple of
times to "repeat offender" dog owners only to be ignored, or in one case, be
told, "It's not my problem you just hate dogs" rather than the owners simply
taking responsibility.  I have no idea what kind of dog owners these people
are otherwise, but they certainly aren't good Farmer's Market "neighbors" &
apparently have no interest in being good Farmer's Market community members.

I actually know quite a few people who no longer go to Farmer's Market
precisely because of those irresponsible dog owners & their dogs:  why are
they less important than those who think that dogs - and not people - are
more important???

Wayne wrote:

"Stop trying to fuck it up!!!!"

I'd feel a lot better had you been telling that to all the dog owners in
recent years who already have successfully done just that, not only for the
responsible dog owners & their dogs, but also for others who've been pretty
much driven away from Farmer's Market.

All of that said, I really don't have a "dog in that fight" since we only
rarely go to the Farmer's Market anymore.  Perhaps a good compromise might
be to have a few dates certain "dog friendly" Farmer's Markets so that those
who want to bring their dogs to Farmer's Market - and those who enjoy having
dogs at the Market - still have the opportunity while those of us who don't
appreciate dogs at the Market aren't excluded from this great community
resource?

JMHO,

Saundra

Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.

~ Edmund Burke

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Art Deco
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 10:09 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The Animal Farmer's Market --Proposed Market
Policies

I would never take my dog to Farmer's Market,   For consideration for her,
mainly.

But I fail to understand to the real problem here, except intolerance.  Have
terrible incidents occurred?  It doesn't take much effort to avoid getting
too close to dogs if someone is afraid of them.  Why take others freedom
away for such a trivial thing?  if a particular dog is a perpetual source of
problems, a way can be found to deal with this. 

I enjoy seeing dogs at the market.  It appears that many others, including
most of the dogs, do also.

What's next?  A dress code? Banning babies (whose squalls are sometimes
annoying, but no reason to ban them)?  Banning out of county vendors?
Censoring the lyrics of some of the entetainers?

Farmer's Market has been a very successful community endeavor for may years.
Stop trying to fuck it up!!!!

w.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 6:03 AM, Donovan Arnold
<donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:

I think they should have a few times in the dogs daze of Summer where the
Farmer's Market should be called The Animal Farmer's Market and allow people
with animals to take them to the Downtown Farmer's Market. This way, the
Farmer's Market can celebrate and embrace animals by including pet owners
and their pets but still keep them separate from others on different days
that have misgivings of sharing tight quarters with unknown animals and
their children and allergies. Moscow has always been an inclusive community,
and I think it should stay that way. Just my thoughts on the matter,
anyways. 

Donovan Arnold

From: Stephanie Kalasz <skalasz at ci.moscow.id.us>
To: "vision2020 at moscow.com" <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:34 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] PR - Proposed Market Policies - CORRECTED WEBLINKS

City of Moscow 

206 E Third Street

Moscow, ID 83843

Contact: Gary J. Riedner, City Supervisor

p     |  208-883-7006

e     |   griedner at ci.moscow.id.us

w    |  www.ci.moscow.id.us <http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/> 

PRESS RELEASE

City Accepting Comments on Proposed Farmers Market Policies Regarding
Animals in the Market and Friendship Square Space Allotment During Market
Hours

February 16, 2012 (Moscow, Idaho) - The City of Moscow is accepting comments
on the currently proposed Farmers Market Policies, located at
www.ci.moscow.id.us/art/fm/market_feedback.aspx or available in hardcopy at
the City Clerk's office in City Hall, 206 E Third Street, suite 303.  

Policies regarding the Farmers Market were reviewed by the Administrative
Committee on February 13, 2012 and forwarded to the City Council for
consideration during their February 21 meeting with the exception of two
proposals.  Those proposals include policies entitled "Animals" - the
proposed policy to limit the allowance of animals in the Market to service
animals and "Promoters" - The process to manage the location used during
Market hours for local arts, philanthropic, charitable, non-profit, social,
and similar purposes to allow individuals and groups to share their message
or opportunity.  These two proposals will be considered by the
Administrative Committee on February 27, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. in Council
Chambers.  

Those interested in providing comments regarding the two excluded proposals,
"Animals" and "Promoters" to be considered by the Administrative Committee
on February 27, may do so on the web at
www.ci.moscow.id.us/art/fm/market_feedback.aspx or in writing to the City
Clerk Stephanie Kalasz at skalasz at ci.moscow.id.us. 

The City of Moscow has developed a web page on the City of Moscow website
(items are also available in hardcopy at the City Clerk's office in City
Hall, 206 E Third Street, suite 303) to provide citizens with the
opportunity to review and comment on the information and proposed policies
including:  

1.	Market Policies to be considered by City Council on February 21;
excluding the proposals of "Animals" and "Promoters";
2.	The proposed "Animals" and "Promoters" policies;
3.	A proposed map of the Farmers Market area that shows possible
Friendship Square and Fountain Place spaces;
4.	An explanation of the legal basis for proposed Friendship Square
space allotment.

For more information regarding the Farmers Market and the proposed policies,
please contact Arts Director Kathleen Burns at (208) 883-7036
<tel:%28208%29%20883-7036> .  For inquiries regarding the legal basis for
the proposed Friendship Square space allotment, please contact City Attorney
Randall Fife at (208) 883-7005 <tel:%28208%29%20883-7005> .

###

Story Contacts

Kathleen Burns, Arts Director                     Randy Fife, City Attorney

208.883.7036
208.883.7005

kburns at ci.moscow.id.us                             rfife at ci.moscow.id.us 

The City of Moscow delivers quality municipal services while ensuring
responsible use of resources. 

We anticipate and meet the needs of our diverse population in order to build
public trust and enhance a sense of community.

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Email Small       <https://twitter.com/#%21/CityofMoscowId> Description:
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-- 
Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
art.deco.studios at gmail.com

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