Email
PrintSwartz gets nod for Friday market
Hilda Swartz
Hilda Swartz, the veteran and sometimes controversial manager of the Friday morning farmers market, emerged from a county-managed RFP process as the favored applicant to manage the market again. The selection must now be confirmed by the Board of Supervisors at their July 12 meeting.
Swartz was one of three applicants in a small field that included Tuesday night farmers market Manager Bill Dardon and, according to Caryl Hart, director of Sonoma County Regional Parks who oversaw the selection process, Swartz was the unanimous choice of a large and professionally esteemed selection committee.
“This wasn’t your average Joe committee,” Hart said, explaining the group included a representative of the county health department, someone from the UC Cooperative Extension and a former member of the UC Berkeley Department of Natural Sciences.
Hart added that the one-year market lease will have “a bunch of new requirements” including the addition of community members to the market’s board of directors. And Hart said there are plans to develop a new relationship between La Luz and the Friday market because “we want much more presence in the Hispanic community.”
Swartz formerly managed the Tuesday night market, but pulled out last year, dissolving her board, before a City Council decision that ultimately awarded that market’s management to Dardon.
Swartz could not be reached for comment about her future plans for the market should her selection be confirmed as expected.
Please note: Your full name will be published with your comment.
I'm curious how this decision relates to the "Sonoma County Farmer's Market Association," which oversees/over-rules the Sonoma, Sebastopol, and Petaluma Farmers Markets, with its 3 person Board (conveniently comprised of the 3 managers from the respective markets). Who has fixed this problem?!! When you speak of the "market's board of directors," and the new requirements it is to fulfill, be VERY specific which BOD you are actually referring to; the puppet BOD that has absolutely no power, or the secretly created one that is riddled with conflicting interest, that caused all the sir-up last year when the "board" tried to get rid of Hilda? I personally have nothing against Ms. Swartz, she's always been very kind to me, however, I have a serious problem with the relationship and severe lack of checks and balances that she (and the other market managers') has with this so-called "Sonoma County Farmer's Market Association." Signer Beware!!