Agenda - 01-15-2008-6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 15, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. ~n -~ SUBJECT: Next Steps for Farmers' Market Based on Mediation Process DEPARTMENT: Cooperative Extension PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Orange County Center ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: • Excerpt from October 9, 2007 BOCC Minutes • Facilitator's Report -Dispute Settlement Center Dr. Fletcher Barber, Jr., 245-2051 Mark Danieley, 245-2062 PURPOSE: To provide the Board of Commissioners with an opportunity to discuss the next steps relative to the administration and operation of a Farmers' Market at the Public Market House. BACKGROUND: At the October 9, 2007 Board of County Commissioners' meeting, the Board received draft guidelines to direct the operation of the Public Market House facility as a Farmers' Market. The Board of County Commissioners instructed the Manager and Cooperative Extension Staff to make changes to the draft guidelines as suggested by the Board. These draft guidelines have also been shared with the two groups in the community who are interested in maintaining a presence in the new Public Market House. The Board also authorized the initial pursuit of a mediation process for the various interests to determine opportunities for working together on the administration and operation of a Farmers' Market. An excerpt from the October 9t Board meeting minutes is attached. Following the October 9th meeting, the Dispute Settlement Center, with some minimal organizational assistance from County Staff, worked to bring the various community interest groups together for discussion. At the December 11, 2007 Board meeting, the County Commissioners approved an additional 15 hours of mediation, for a total of 25 hours. A mediation meeting was convened on December 12th, where there was agreement among the two separate community interest groups to proceed as separate Farmers' Markets. Staff is recommending a farmers' market be established at the Public Market House as early as March of this year. Based on the outcome of the mediation process, staff proposes three options for Board consideration. Those options are: 1) Allow both farmers' market organizations to lease space at the Public Market House under rules and regulations yet to be established by the BOCC;