The Mississippi Valley Growers' Association (MVGA) built successful markets over 15 years in Davenport and Bettendorf, with six Iowa Farmers' Market Improvement Competition awards from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, the Iowa Department of Agriculture, and the Iowa Farmers' Market Association. The River City Market Association (RCMA) formed 11 years ago. The MVGA and the RCMA have negotiated leases from the city together since 2002. This was confirmed by Charlie Heston, Levee Improvement Commission, at the March 12 meeting. In 2007, we formed a joint board and have shared expenses for patrol officers. We worked diligently to develop a plot map that the patrol officers thought would provide the safest traffic flow for customers. This plot map was submitted to Charlie Heston and leases prepaid in December for the upcoming year.
Tara Barney, DavenportOne, told the MVGA that the markets would be asked to participate in a task force regarding an indoor market at the Freight House. We eagerly waited to offer suggestions and contacted Steve Ahrens, development director for the Levee Improvement Commission, last fall about when the task force would convene. In January, the Levee Improvement Commission also said there would be a market task force. However, the markets were never included in any task force.
Board members from both organizations attempted to contact Steve Ahrens this spring. He would not answer our phone calls. The mayor and various council members suggested the joint board put their questions in writing. The mayor directed Steve Ahrens at the March 12 Levee Improvement Commission meeting to answer these questions. Steve Ahrens refused, stating he did not have to answer the mayor as he is not a city employee. The next day both markets received notices of cancellation of their leases from Steve Ahrens.
In the Project for Public Spaces report prepared for the City of Davenport and DavenportOne, it is stated, "In order to not risk alienating the market's vital core of vendors/farmers and customers, the process must be open, inclusive, and implementable. Any changes should reflect the desires of its various stakeholders." Cancellation of leases was not construed as an "inclusive" process and has definitely alienated the "vital core."
Steve Ahrens has attempted to take over both markets in the Florian Keen parking lot, sponsored by two not-for-profit organizations. First, two amended leases were issued. Why should MVGA and RCMA both pay for separate leases on the exact same property? This would be paying twice for the same property. The separate leases also became a liability nightmare for each organization's insurance company.
Second, Steve Ahrens began telling both organizations how to run their markets. When does a landlord micromanage the business run on leased property? Steve dictated new arrival and departure times. No consideration was allowed for late-arriving vendors, such as those with morning livestock chores. Steve Ahrens replied that late vendors must park off-premises and carry in their products to stalls.
How could the farmers who pick 2,400 ears of fresh sweet corn directly into the back of their pickups get their produce to the stall if they cannot enter the lot? How could the flower growers get another 50 baskets to waiting customers if they had to park under the bridge? What about the strawberry producer that needs to pick after the dew is off the berries in the morning? Steve Ahrens also rearranged placement of vendors, allowing noisy generators in the middle with fumes, affecting sales of other vendors. He also took away customer parking in the Freight House area by starting a third market. If the customer has difficulty finding parking and cannot get close to pick up purchases, a market will lose business.
Surveys were conducted before any decisions were made. Vendors replied, "You build it, we will be there!" Likewise, customers replied, "Just tell us where you will be!" Demographics of the Iowa Farmers Market Nutrition Program show that NorthPark Mall is closer to 77 percent of the clients. Also, a city bus transfer is next to this market location.
We will build a great market with MVGA and RCMA vendors at NorthPark Mall. We look forward to seeing our valued customers beginning May 3 and to another successful season.
