Community split on value of outdoor marketplace
It is uncertain whether Jamestown will host an outdoor marketplace in June or the following months until community members and business owners hash out a compromised, organizational model that deals with complaints about parking congestion and retail competition.
Malaina Taylor, owner of Joyful Heart Garden Center in Jamestown, had organized a series of outdoor marketplaces in Jamestown during the COVID-19 pandemic, participating early on with the Jamestown Promotion Club, a nonprofit organization, before changing it to a forprofit event in February.
As the event grew in size and scope, motivating hundreds to come to Jamestown on Saturday mornings and afternoons for vendors and other businesses, it also drew complaints from locals about parking congestion and from the county about apparent violations of the street-closing permit which allowed the event.
On Wednesday, at a town hall meeting in Rocca Park in Jamestown intended to discuss the future of the outdoor marketplace, Taylor criticized those who complained for opposing what she characterized as a benevolent effort for the Jamestown business community.
“Jamestown has been dead-town for quite a few years, something needs to be done,” she said. “All I want to do is make Jamestown more beautiful. Get off my back.”
Taylor further stated she would abdicate her role as an organizer of future events, but would provide assistance to another person if asked. She has said that profits from the event would be reinvested into floral beautification of the downtown district, though she had confronted issues with the county on that issue as well.
County Public Works Director Kim Macfarlane, who led the town hall with County Supervising Engineer Blossom Scott-heim, said the permit, which costs approximately $400, provided for the closure of countymaintained roads and a traffic plan.
“We want to ensure you have a safe closure,” she told a growing crowd of about 40 people Wednesday morning.
The primary concerns of the county, the officials noted, are various violations of the permit: hosting commercial enterprises in Rocca Park, streets being blocked to emergency vehicles, and blocked pedestrian access on the sidewalks. The event has obviously grown beyond the scope of its initial intent, they said.
The Union Democrat was told there were at least two businesses who submitted opposition to the county Public Works Department over the approval of a permit for the event, which led to the town hall meeting.
Scott-heim said this week the county will not release the names of commenters because some asked for confidentiality.
The weekend Jamestown events began as a sidewalk sale in September, and the rest of the events, held monthly, were outdoor marketplaces. Previously, organizers for the event — which was sponsored by Taylor’s business and her promotional club, The Leading Ladies of Jamestown — used nonprofit status to have the need for the permit waived.
“The disruption I’ve seen from businesses, there’s no equivalent to it,” said Duke York, former deputy director of county roads, who was working for the county as a retired
annuitant evaluating the traffic safety of the event.
A man who identified himself as Rick, the owner of Jimtown Sock Co. and a business in Sonora, but declined to give his last name when asked by The Union Democrat, spoke first among the public and gave one of the most virulent oppositions to the outdoor marketplace. He said the vendors take away from established, tax-paying and brick-and-mortar businesses in the downtown sector, and some of the vendors even sell similar products.
“I just want to know why we are turning Jamestown into a flea market?” he asked.
Gary Wilson, of The Jamestown Promotion Club, echoed those concerns and said the marketplace has become more of a detriment to the businesses it initially intended to help.
In the middle of his speech, Wilson was interrupted by Kim Casner, owner of the downtown business Fun Fine Artist. During her later statement, she said half of her monthly income comes from the outdoor marketplace as she advocated for its continuance.
“This is the way to do it,” she said. “This is the way to bring it right to our doorstep.”
Others, like Barendregt’s Grocery employee Suzi Casner, called for participants to put aside personal gripes with other business owners and cooperate toward a shared solution.
“Please let the bickering stop and let’s make this happen,” she said. “I want you to see how clean this town has come.”
County Supervisor Jaron Brandon,
whose District 5 includes Jamestown, said he appreciated the voices from both sides of the issue who agreed that finding a solution would take time.
“Jamestown should be a thriving community,” he said, “but it is very disruptive. It disrupts normal routines.”
Brandon offered a series of solutions: move or modify the event to different or additional locations, invest in parking or traffic solutions, or provide additional advertisements for brick and mortar businesses.
Later, York also noted improved access to a parking lot on the east side of downtown could provide for a smoother transition of traffic in the area.
Macfarlane confirmed there were no pending permit applications as of Wednesday morning and said she plans to review the comments with Public Works staff and Brandon. At least one woman inquired about submitting one following the meeting.
Though there is limited time before the next second Saturday on June 12, Macfarlane said any application will be evaluated and approved or denied on its merits.
“I think they’re going to come up with a better solution that works for all of them,” she said.