At the Joseph City Council meeting held April 4, the mayor, some council members and attendees once again attacked the Wallowa County Farmers’ Market by deceptively blindsiding the market manager by vaguely listing “relocation of market” on the agenda. The market manager assumed it was referring to their yearly request of road closure. Not the case. No one from the city had notified the market of the true reason they were on the agenda. The market manager was blindsided.

For the past several years, then councilor now Mayor Teresa Sajonia has led the charge against the market.. It was stated that there had been complaints from neighbors about parking issues, driveways blocked, etc. The City of Joseph paid for a sheriff to patrol the city; perhaps a call to them and a parking ticket would have stopped that. She stated there had been people complaining about the noise from the music. The market has music each Saturday. The musicians turn down the amps so the vendors can easily speak with the customers. It’s called respect. What about the music at Ember’s in the summer? It is usually with a full band and fully amped and very loud. But no mention of that.

Citizens and council members addressed the traffic congestion and the danger of people crossing back and forth on the street to go to market. It was mentioned about the hassle of parking. There are just as many tourists and people in town on any given day during the summer. Most of us locals avoid driving down Main Street, even on a week day because of those very reasons.

I have been a strong and passionate supporter of farmer’s markets, not just here in Wallowa County but other places I’ve lived. They provide vitality to a town. The council has now demanded the market move to the city lot next to the bathrooms. But because of an ordinance that does not allow signage on Main Street for off street businesses, the market will not be allowed to advertise their new location on Saturdays.

Money spent at a market stays local. Instead of condemning the market as Sajonia has done, perhaps she should have gone and purchased local, in season produce instead of supporting an out of town corporation like Sysco. A former council member has stated they will not give their hard earned money to businesses in town; yet they were a loud voice against the market contributing nothing to the city. Sajonia has claimed that the market hurts her business; can’t see the reasoning in that. Many vendors through the years recommend Embers to tourists when asking where to eat. Not now! Many vendors and many of us locals will no longer support Embers. The mayor has burned local bridges.

Christina Knecht

Joseph