Although the City of Havre de Grace has expressed concerns with Havre de Grace Main Street, Inc., community leaders said Monday night the city's farmers market will go on as scheduled, will eventually move and that tensions have eased.
The city administration issued a "press release" in the form of a legal notice, published in the April 3 editions of The Record and The Aegis, announcing the Mayor and City Council would "proceed with First Fridays and the Farmers Market without direct assistance from the Main Street board," citing "negative audit findings," regarding the board's spending of state funds.
"The City directed that the Main Street board follow the State program guidelines for the Tenant Fit Out and Facade Programs and requested that the City be relieved of financial responsibility for the Main Street board's past conduct related to certain expenditures," according to the notice.
Steve Sheppard, president of Havre de Grace Main Street, said Monday the negative audit was the result of a miscommunication over several items that were not paid correctly and denied any wrongdoing. He also said the organization had worked out the situation with the city.
Havre de Grace Main Street, Inc. operates under the auspices of a state program that, in part, funnels redevelopment funds to municipal centers across Maryland.
The Havre de Grace program began in 2005 and, according to its website: "Our Main Street program is a membership and volunteer based organization, guided by a board of directors. Our primary focus is on revitalization, business development, arts and entertainment and business retention in the historical downtown district."
During Monday night's city council meeting, Sheppard gave a written statement to the council that Mayor Wayne Dougherty accepted.
Dougherty then read the statement, which was made jointly by the city and Main Street and explains that both groups have met and agreed upon a course of conduct to address the audit issues, following "the inadvertent release" of the audit findings at the previous council meeting March 16.
According to the statement, First Fridays will proceed with the city and Main Street working in concert with the Office of Tourism. The farmers market is also expected to transition from Pennington Avenue downtown to Hutchins Park on the waterfront, as was also discussed at the March 16 council meeting. The plan encountered some friction from market vendors.
Sheppard said earlier in the day the hope is that the farmers market will become a fully independent non-profit group. The Bel Air Farmers Market, which is Harford County's oldest and largest farmers market, operates in a similar fashion.
Dougherty thanked Sheppard and Joe Smith, a downtown business owner and former city councilman, for meeting with him that morning.
Donna Mandl, representing the farmers market as a vendor with Deer Meadow Farm, told the city council she supports a revised application to the city for the market and thanked Main Street for five years of support and sponsorship.
The market is moving to Hutchins Park in mid-July, she said, and its leaders hope to expand the market under the "shared vision we would all like to see."
Also speaking to the council was Charlie Hiner, a real estate agent who is running for mayor and who said he was troubled by the city taking the farmers market from downtown to the foot of Congress Avenue and was pleased they had come to a resolution.
Hiner said he was saddened to see the government "overreaching" to the private sector.
"City leadership should always focus on having an 'open for business' attitude," he said.
Councilman Randy Craig thanked the farmers who have supported the city's decision to move and expand the market.
He said he hopes the market will bring people from around the region "to see what Havre de Grace has to offer" and called the move to Hutchins Park "a wonderful opportunity."
"I really appreciate the fresh produce and meats and everything that's offered down there, and I believe sincerely that's going to be an economic engine for Havre de Grace," Craig said.