A18 LOCAL Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, May 15, 2019 Farmers Market fi nds a new home Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain After the Thursday, April 4, Joseph City Council meet- ing, the Wallowa County Farmers Market found itself adrift, cut from its moorings at Joseph Avenue after nearly a decade at the spot. Market manager Emily Aumann and president Nathan Slinker didn’t have time to pout. With only six weeks or so until market opening, they had to fi nd a new location and get the word out. The sudden deci- sion by the city council came long after the market had paid for print advertising in a variety of publications that gave the Joseph Avenue loca- tion as its address. The city did not offer to compensate the market for the troubles. Not only that, the city also threatened to take transient fees from the market, something it declined to do in the past. The coun- cil voted in 2017 to perma- nently wave all transient fees for the market. During a recent trip to city hall to get a copy of the ordinance regulating transient/vendor fees, Aumann discovered she would have to pay for them. When she asked for elec- tronic copies, the clerk told her the price would increase over the paper copies. Knowing the market had to move, Slinker and Aumann went to work, eventually striking a deal with Stein’s Distillery to use its private parking lot as the new mar- ket site. Slinker explained that over the course of last summer several of the ven- dors had approached him about using the Stein’s site. After the April meeting, the market board began to dis- cuss options, which included Stein’s. The board decided to contact him. “He was great,” Slinker said of distillery owner Dan Stein. “He was really sup- portive and said he’d love Nathan Slinker Emily Aumann IF YOU GO WHERE: Stein’s Distillery parking lot; ; local parking available WHEN: Opens May 2 to have us down there and Regardless of the claims offered the use of utilities. of the city, the market I felt like, when I talked to received virtually no notice him, that he would go the on the relocation. When extra mile to provide things the Chieftain got its coun- the market would need, cil agenda about two days which we appreciate.” before the meeting, it called Aumann said that with the market to get a comment Photos by Steve Tool/Chieftain the abrupt move, a number on relocation and took the Dan Stein of Stein’s Distillery off ered the Wallowa County Farmers Market a new home in his of details needed attention. market by surprise. For example, the market is “It wasn’t what we were parking lot after the Joseph City Council ousted the market from its previous location on looking for a place to store expecting,” Slinker said. Joseph Avenue. its trailer that holds market According to Aumann, board materials. member Kelsey Juve had the unexpected recipient of a weekend. Aumann noted that year about using his parking “That’s not something we put in a request to the city to broad swath of community a lot of prioritizing started lot, and he readily agreed. did in the past, because we appear on the agenda for the support and offers of new happening because of the He added that Slinker had had a working relationship yearly street closure request. locations. market’s limited time and recently called to confi rm the offer. After measuring the lot, with the Baptist Church,” Juve heard nothing for some “We had a lot of busi- resources. Aumann said. “All the stuff it was agreed that it would fi t She also noted we’d have nor- about 15 vendors with some she would have mally done in local parking available. ‘WE HAVE A LOT OF VENDORS APPLYING “They’re easy to work to reorganize a three months, AND A LOT OF VENDORS THAT ARE new booth layout basically, we’re with, and I’ve known a lot for the vendors at doing in three of them for years,” he said. EXCITED TO BE IN A NEW SPOT. the new site. “It’s weeks,” Slinker “They’ll be another draw to just a new space said. “But we’ll businesses down here; even WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING with new confi g- get it all done. We if it’s only a few a day, it’ll AND MOVING IN A NEW DIRECTION.’ urations and new have a lot of ven- make a difference.” Despite the rocky road dimensions and dors applying and Market president Nathan Slinker trying to orga- a lot of vendors to its new Stein’s Distill- nize a good fl ow that are excited to ery location, Aumann and of customers and be in a new spot. Slinker are still trying to highlight the produce ven- time and called to see if the nesses and people who live in We’re looking forward to forge a working relationship dors, fi nd an electric source market was on the agenda Joseph saying, ‘We’d love to starting and moving in a new with the city. “We’d like to have a pro- for the musicians, where and was told yes without have you,’ so that was nice,” direction.” vendors can park their vehi- elaborating that the mar- Slinker said. Dan Stein, co-owner ductive relationship with the cles if they need to park close ket was on the agenda for an Because of the short of Stein’s said he happily city,” Slinker said. “We’re to their booth and where to entirely different reason than notice on the move, the mar- offered the market a spot in still going to be in the city, park so they’re not in the cus- the initial request. ket is successfully scram- his parking lot. Stein said and we’d like to have the tomer’s way — those are the After the meeting bomb- bling to get its ducks in a row that a couple of vendors support of the city and the main things.” shell, the market found itself before its May 25 opening had approached him last council.” You’re Invited To The Jo Hard Customer BBQ Don’t miss XTREME SAVINGS on INNOVIA XTREME CLEAN carpets. From muddy pets to super dirty kids, you need a carpet that stands up to the XTREME chaos of outdoors…inside. 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