Joseph City Council

The council addressed the Wallowa County Farmers Market relocation under the “New Business” phase of the meeting. Mayor Sajonia first noted a March 21 street closure request of West Joseph Avenue written by market board representative, Kelsey Juve. The market board makes the request yearly. Sajonia noted that the council has always been a key proponent of the market and would like to keep the market in Joseph. Sajonia and several other council members have in fact spoken against the market in the past.

The mayor said that city hall had received verbal comments from citizens and had recently received a letter regarding opposition to the placement of the market. She did not note the persons who made verbal complaints, but read into the record a letter written on April 1 and submitted to the council by Joseph citizens Bradi Voigt and Lee Trapp, who reside at 106 N. Mill St.

The letter requests the market change locations because it made navigating their property difficult. It stated that market members and market visitor parking obstruct right-of-ways and make landscaping difficult. The couple also complained that market visitors and their children harassed the couple’s dog and market noise prevent them from enjoying outdoor activities in peace. They also accused market visitors and vendors of putting trash in the couple’s trailers on the property. No empirical evidence such as photos, etc, was presented.

Sajonia first suggested the city park parking lot as a relocation point. Market manager, Emily Aumann, asked if the council would first consider the street closure permit request. Aumann said the market requested the street closure on each Saturday from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. from May 25 to Oct. 12. She said she appreciated the council’s past support and hoped to find an equitable arrangement with the city.

Market board president, Nathan Slinker, said he thought the citizen concern was legitimate. He said the market worked to alleviate citizen complaints by picking up trash and garbage and also encouraged market visitors to use the trash receptacles provided by the market. He added that he and other market vendors policed the area after market to ensure no trash was left in the area. He added he was not aware of parking issues.

Trapp spoke up and noted vehicles parked in the Joseph Avenue alley, around the corner and on the couple’s lawn. Slinker replied that the market vendors are careful not to park in the alleys or on the couple’s lawn. He also offered to talk to the vendors about parking in different places.

“We want to stay in that place,” Slinker said. It’s centrally located for us and for people in the community to walk to.”

Council member Kathy Zacharias told the couple she believed the market tried to police the area, but couldn’t dictate where market visitors park. She suggested the city parking lot as a better location. Aumann replied that the public lot had heavy usage during tourist season and the space the market took would just create traffic and parking problems elsewhere.

Council member Marty Hamilton said the council understood the complainants concerns but also thought the market a benefit to businesses in downtown Joseph. He suggested moving the market across the street from the Outlaw Restaurant and Saloon.

Tonya Collier, also a council member, pointed out the folly of moving the market to the city parking lot. She noted the lack of parking because of the Imnaha Highway and Winding Waters Expeditions. Sajonia argued that parking wouldn’t be a problem many cities don’t block off streets for farmers markets although she didn’t name any.

Slinker also mentioned that the market had thought they were coming to the meeting to discuss the street closure and had no idea a relocation was on the agenda until someone told them the day before the meeting. He added they’d been planning the market for months and had already placed ads in magazines and printed flyers with the Joseph Avenue location.

The market president also said if the city was set on moving the market, he’d like to stay in the location over the present season as only six weeks remained before the season started and go into discussions on relocation upon the season’s conclusion.

“Moving now presents quite an issue,” he said.

Hamilton agreed that the market should stay in its present location for the season, but Bradi Voigt objected, reiterating the letter’s complaints.

Citizen Kathy Bingham spoke against the market and noted Saturday as the busiest day in downtown Joseph.

“To me it’s a real safety issue, the kids going to farmers market, running out, etc,” she said. “You’re half-scared to drive down Main Street because of that. I’d love to see it moved.”

After more discussion, Sajonia asked for a motion. Hamilton motioned that the market stay for the season and the council approach the subject again in the fall. No one seconded the motion.

Council member —– made a motion to relocate the market to the city’s public parking lot and —– provided a second. The motion passed 5-2 with Hamilton and Tonya Collier voting against.