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Councilwoman Pam Gross has questions for Loveland Farmers’ Market

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Loveland Magazine

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Pamela Gross – City Council Member

Dear Loveland Magazine Readers,

I have been following with great interest all of the interviews and comments regarding the Loveland Farmers’ Market.

First, I want to be perfectly clear that no one from the city wants to get rid of the market nor has anyone implied that the market should not exist. There is so much false   information circulating regarding the market, that it is important to set the record straight.

The City Manager, Dave Kennedy, has told the owner of the business that the market can no longer be located at Jackson Square because of the traffic congestion. As we all know [pull_quote_left]I’d like to ask a few questions related to the finances and operation of the Loveland Farmers Market[/pull_quote_left]historic downtown has an infrastructure problem. The City Manager has offered several alternative locations for the market and hopefully Dave and the owner of the market can find a solution that is amicable to both.

I believe Mr. Kennedy’s decision was thoughtful and well reasoned. It is his job as City Manager to do what he feels is best for the community as a whole. He has clearly stated that the downtown area can’t handle the traffic congestion, particularly with the closing of Branch Hill Guinea Rd again this spring and summer.

[pull_quote_right]I believe every one of these questions merits an answer and discussion. [/pull_quote_right]The location of the market is not a City Council decision. It is also not a political issue, it is simply a safety and legal issue.

As an accountant, I am very well versed in the field of finance and tax compliance. So I’d like to ask a few questions related to the finances and operation of the Loveland Farmers’ Market, particularly since it has been widely reported that the market had a 30% drop in business last year. Here they are in no particular order:

  1. Who is the owner of the market?
  2. What is the tax structure of the market? 
  3. Who is responsible for the rules and regulations of the market? 
  4. How are the sales tracked? By whom? 
  5. What is the cost for vendors to participate? Who receives this money? 
  6. How many vendors participate? How many are from the community? 
  7. Do all vendors have an OH sales tax license? Is sales tax collected and remitted on items that are not food? 
  8. Have all vendors and the owner of the market filed an income tax return for the City of Loveland? Who is responsible for ensuring this is done? 
  9. Are the rules for selling “cottage food” followed? Are the rules for “perishable food” followed? 
  10. Does the owner of the market carry an insurance policy?
  11. Do the vendors have an insurance policy? 
  12. What are the liability issues for the City if someone is hurt or falls ill from something purchased at the market?

Are you aware that the City Of Loveland in 2015 paid in excess of $1,600 for expenses directly related to the operation of the market? Is this fair to other Loveland based businesses?

Are you aware that the City of Loveland in 2011, 2012, 2013 leased property to the market for $1. Again, is this fair to other Loveland based businesses?

Are you aware a special exception was given to the market that allows for one permit instead of individual permits required for all other vendors conducting business in Loveland? Is this fair to other businesses?

[pull_quote_left]Council must make many decisions on behalf of our citizens and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. However, that job becomes more difficult when facts are not properly disseminated to the public.[/pull_quote_left]I believe every one of these questions merits an answer and discussion.  This is fair to not only the other businesses located in the city but also the patrons of the market. Who is willing to have this discussion?

Council must make many decisions on behalf of our citizens and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. However, that job becomes more difficult when facts are not properly disseminated to the public. I invite all citizens to attend council meetings so you can witness firsthand the discussions.

Pamela Gross

City Council Member

 

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Comments

16 responses to “Councilwoman Pam Gross has questions for Loveland Farmers’ Market”

  1. The Chemist's Wife Avatar
    The Chemist’s Wife

    BTW – Most of these questions could be answered by simply looking at any farmer’s market application. They are all similar. Loveland is the only city around though that has decided to pick their market apart after it has become the most successful one around in 4 years. Why is that? All vendors need to comply with certain rules that are listed including a requirement of a $1 million insurance policy – these are not gotcha questions and they are only different that other cities in that Loveland is the only one that requires a ‘city’ vendors permit for $50.

  2. The Chemist's Wife Avatar
    The Chemist’s Wife

    Answer the question, farmer people – you traffic creating trolls. Stay on your side of the bridge!! Oh my Gosh! LOL-That is too much!!

  3. Reg Avatar
    Reg

    The power and freedom of the Internet is why we have the backlash that is going on. Without websites like Loveland Magazine, we would still be uninformed about 90% of what’s really going on. That’s why you hear so many mainstream power players say they want the Internet censored or shut down as much as possible.

    Why do you think the closing of comments sections at most “news” websites is the trend?They do not want any speech outside of what the mainstream media/politicians tell us we should think.

    1. lovelandmagazine Avatar
      lovelandmagazine

      EDITOR’S NOTE:

      Thank you for this recognition. Loveland Magazine has been extremely pleased over the temperament of most all the citizens who use our comment section. Only rarely do we edit for rude or insulting content, or remove a comment entirely. We want Loveland Magazine to be a place for community involvement, but foremost, we want Loveland Magazine to be a safe place for townsfolk to share their views without fear of ugly reaction.

      So, I cannot place enough emphasis on how continuing pleasing it is that for the most part, people are kind to each other here in our forum.

      David Miller

  4. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    Someone looks backed into a corner and is pointing fingers now

  5. C.M. Avatar
    C.M.

    Once my kids are out of Loveland schools, I’m moving to Goshen or somewhere else that I can have my own mini-farm and much more elbow room. Also, I will not miss filing taxes with the “RITA” mafia. I’m getting ready to do my RITA paperwork for 2015, and I don’t think I have enough Jack Daniels in the house to get me through the ordeal.

  6. cincyfredo Avatar
    cincyfredo

    I agree with Pam Gross. Answer the questions Farmer People.
    There is no fixing the traffic problems in downtown unless the Fed Gov’t built us another bridge and a
    by-pass road. The market just adds to the traffic problem and needs to be over on the Hamilton side, far away from the bridge.
    Or how about having that farmer thing on a Sat or Sun ? Stop causing more traffic problems in prime time.
    Nothing better then coming home from work and getting stuck at Kiwanis Park or up past the Dairy Whip as you try to get across the bridge. It’s bad enough all the bike freaks coming to my downtown, we sure don’t need this farmers market making it worse. GO TO HAMILTON SIDE !!!

  7. Amber Avatar
    Amber

    I believe most of this council has been around for quite some time- remember, our mayor was I believe city manager before he was told it wasn’t working out. I’m just saying we have voted in the wrong people many times, and the new council coming in succumbs to old council. I wonder if it is because that is what they want, or they are basically told this is how it is…….

  8. Get lost gross Avatar
    Get lost gross

    Seems as if council is on a witch hunt to try and tempted to squash a very successful farmers market that overwhelmingly the citizens of upland have showed they want in their town. I think they thought this was all going to go unnoticed and they wer tempted to squash a very successful farmers market that overwhelmingly the citizens of upland have showed they want in their town. I think they thought all of this bullying was all going to go unnoticed. It seems now that people are paying attention and questioning them they have to retreat and go on the defensive and ask questions that clearly should’ve been answered for years ago. Ms. Gross and Mr. Fitzgerald need to Stop this lame attempt at an investigation. Clearly they have a vendetta to serve and now are being caught with their slimy actions. Good luck with your reelection miss gross as your actions are truly just that. GROSS!!!

  9. Andrea M. Avatar
    Andrea M.

    What am I missing here? How do these questions relate to the current debate of where the market can be held? These questions seem like a not too subtle threat from the council to the market to either fall in line with the council or be hit with a mountain of bureaucratic red tape.

  10. Connie Avatar
    Connie

    I’m curious why these questions are being asked now as opposed to when the market began. Is it because you feel defensive? Now you want to pick on all the vendors and innocent people just trying to enjoy a community event? I spend money in historic Loveland every time I visit the market at Jackson St. I have grown to love the small businesses here and frequent them but this would not have happened if not for the convenience of the farmers market at that location. When it moved to the bowling alley I visited less. It’s not as exciting to go if I can’t make an afternoon of strolling through the shops downtown or stopping to nibble my purchases in the park. All I want is to have these lovely moments again where I take my children to market and plan mess around what we buy there. I brag about it all the time to friends and encourage them to visit. It’s great fun. Bring tell market back to Jackson St. And hire an engineer to figure out the details of traffic flow for the sake of all our events!

  11. Sensible citizen Avatar
    Sensible citizen

    These people all need to go watch a kids soccer game or clean the leaves out of their gutters. It’s just a small community farmers market, not a vast conspiracy that need to be investigated and interrogated. Stop watching so much CSI.

  12. Kimmy Avatar
    Kimmy

    I’m floored that council does not already have all of the above info regarding the market that has resided in their community for 4 years.

  13. Tom Calarco Avatar
    Tom Calarco

    Pam raises valid questions, but why haven’t they been resolved in the past when the market was downtown? Why is she bringing this up now when the alleged reason for moving the market was traffic congestion? Yes, there are a lot of unanswered questions and people want answers before a final decision is made.

  14. El Conquistador Avatar
    El Conquistador

    Amber, the decisions related to the purchase of the property that is now Loveland Station was decided by prior councils and unfortunately as we all know ” we pay for the sins of our fathers.” Please do not blame current council for past bad decisions.

  15. Amber Avatar
    Amber

    Were all these questions asked and answered for the construction in downtown? It has been very clear from the frustration of the city, we are not happy with what is happening. We lost the small town feel we all moved here for. How much money is the city and people paying to allow the construction downtown, since you want to provide cost being spent for the market? And now there is a chance MORE apartments are going to be built. Something that is for the small town – like the market or canoe place – the city council and mayor seem to want to squash out. These are what built the city and created the environment the people grew to love. We are not Rookwood, nor do we want to be! I wonderful if the city really understood what was happening, who they would have voted into office…..

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