[Vision2020] Friendship Square use during market spurs anger

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (January 24, 2012) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Friendship Square use during market spurs anger
By Brandon Macz, Daily News staff 
Residents were allowed to voice their concerns to the Moscow Administrative Committee on Monday regarding updated farmers market policies for this upcoming season.
A point of contention arose regarding Friendship Square, which city attorney Randy Fife said he tried to address to bring a more fair selection process for nonprofits and other organizations using that space.
City Arts Director Kathleen Burns, who also manages the market, said there were too many organizations fighting for limited space in Friendship Square during the Saturday event, and the proposed policy would place applicants on a rotating basis and provide a standard table dimension.
Fife said Friendship Square is a First Amendment area for the city where many causes are trumpeted throughout the year, but Saturday demand during the market season has grown beyond the space available and, as operators of the market, the city had to find a way to provide fairness in its selections.
"We're over subscribed," said Fife. "We have had complaints."
But the complaints Monday night revolved around the level of inclusion and the use of the word "promoters" to describe the area's designated purpose, with concerns being that the language might let those in that do not provide a community service.
Joann Muneta, who serves on the Moscow Art Commission that started the farmers
market, told councilors the commission had already reviewed and passed its policy on what constituted a nonprofit organization for the farmers market last fall, adding the number of applicants does not always reflect the numbers that show at the market.
Fife said his concern was how the city interpreted nonprofit use of Friendship Square. While there are certified nonprofits, he said there are often businesses that want to use the space for a canned food drive or other community service event that would be considered not-for-profit. He added there were local theater groups using the space, as well as organizations selling items, and there needed to be a decision as to whether an organization should make those sales in the square or with vendors in the market space in the Jackson Street parking lot.
Committee chairman Dan Carscallen allowed audience members to approach councilors with comments after Mayor Nancy Chaney argued public testimony should be heard prior to the policy going back to the market advisory board. She said the concerns would just come up all over again and delay the process further.
Joann Bohna, a board member for the Palouse Prairie Foundation, said the City Council seemed "confused" about what a nonprofit is if it intended to add "promoters" to policy language.
"We are not promoters," said Bohna. "We are people who dedicate our time, our efforts to promoting community service."
Resident Andrea Pittenger told councilors if Friendship Square was meant as a platform for free speech, they should stop playing music there and have a "free speech free-for-all."
Councilor Tom Lamar said he received more emails on this issue than any other topic he's faced on the council, "including megaloads." He said as liaison to the advisory board he would send those emails and comments made Monday to the board.
Fife said he will adjust language in the policy based on concerns heard Monday and send them to Burns to present to the farmers market advisory board and arts commission before being sent back to the committee for recommendation to the full council. Burns said she's hopeful it will all be completed by the end of February to provide information packets to vendors.
Councilor Wayne Krauss said he wanted the advisory board to address dogs at the farmers market, citing complaints and confirmation from Fife that the city could be found negligent if someone were to be bitten during the event.
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Seeya later, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Post Falls, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown


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