Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Petition, No to the "Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 2011"

* written by: Mary Belcher: Eastern Market watercolourists and Washington, D.C. historian


November 12, 2011

WE REJECT COUNCIL MEMBER TOMMY WELLS’ ASSAULT ON EASTERN MARKET VENDORS’ RIGHTS

Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells has introduced legislation that would strip Eastern Market outdoor weekend vendors of their rights and protections. The proposed bill, titled the “Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 2011,” would create a new nonprofit entity to control all Market operations, replacing a law in effect since 1999.

Under current law, the vendors—including artists, artisans, antique dealers and other flea-market exhibitors—are given priority to rent outdoor spaces at the Market on weekends. They have protections to continue selling their wares under subleases with Market management. They can make and appeal grievances to an elected tenants’ council. And those who have maintained their small businesses at Eastern Market since 1997 have a right of first refusal if asked to give up their spaces.

Council member Wells has proposed the creation of a politically top-heavy, nonprofit “trust” to operate the Market. Its 11-member board would be made up eight political appointees—five of whom would be appointed by the Ward 6 council member--with only three representatives from the Market’s indoor and outdoor vendor community. In addition, he wants to expand the geographic boundaries of Eastern Market activities along 7th Street south to Pennsylvania Avenue; he would require that “other privately owned or controlled land or buildings that are directly adjacent to the area” be “subject to a lease or management agreement” with the nonprofit trust. The legislation does not specify the need for or purpose of such a lease or agreement.

Under the proposed legislation, priority for Eastern Market spaces “throughout the week” would be given to food vendors. The proposal doesn’t make any special distinction, or list priorities, for outdoor weekend vending, most of which is currently conducted by artists and flea market exhibitors. The newly proposed legislation, which purports to simply amend the existing 1999 Eastern Market law (D.C. Law 12-228, Code section 37.101), in fact strips from the law all language regarding outdoor-exhibitor leases, grievance and appeal processes, and the right-of-first-refusal on spaces occupied by long-time vendors.

Eastern Market is the workplace of Washington, D.C.’s most ethnically and culturally diverse group of artists, artisans, and flea-market exhibitors. We are D.C. at its best and most inclusive. Do not allow the City Council to throw the fates of our small businesses into the hands of political appointees. We want competent Market management—not politically connected overseers.



Help us defeat Tommy Wells’ assault on the rights of Eastern Market’s weekend vendors! Sign our petition in support of maintaining our current rights under the law!

Mary Belcher, artist

Joseph Snyder, artist

Sonda Allen,
Turtle’s Webb, artist

Cherie Lester, artist

Tom Rall,
Flea Market Exhibitor


 Jenae Michelle, designer

PETITION TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CITY COUNCIL:

We, the undersigned, urge you to reject Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells’ proposed “Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 2011” because it strips all rights and protections that Eastern Market outdoor weekend vendors have under existing law.













To see the full text of the “Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 2011,” introduced by Council member Wells on October 11, 2011, and the full text of the existing Eastern Market law, go to:

http://www.tommywells.org/2011/10/tommy-introduce-1.php

 

To write DC City Council members about the proposed changes to the Eastern Market law, contact:

Chairman Kwame R. Brown,
kbrown@dccouncil.us

Mary M. Cheh, mcheh@dccouncil.us

Michael A. Brown, mbrown@dccouncil.us

Phil Mendelson, pmendelson@dccouncil.us

David Catania, dcatania@dccouncil.us

Marion Barry, mbarry@dccouncil.us

Yvette Alexander, yalexander@dccouncil.us

Tommy Wells, twells@dccouncil.us

Harry Thomas, Jr., hthomas@dccouncil.us

Muriel Bowser, mbowser@dccouncil.us

Jim Graham, jgraham@dccouncil.us

Jack Evans, jevans@dccouncil.us

Vincent Orange, vorange@dccouncil.us



THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Turtle's Webb News Letter-November 2011

Broken Circle
Turtle's Webb

  Newsletter
Only a.....away.
The DownTown
Holiday Market
November 2011

Ruth E wants to know...
Ruth E
Who you look at ooh yeah the ring is all that



The MAN or the MEN want YOU to ...
Richard M
John Smith man of ... "Houses on the Hill today"... and such good taste in Jewelry
Get ready and get set for the....
2011 DHM
The 7th Annual Downtown Holiday Market Returns
December 2 - 23Noon - 8 p.m. Daily
Downtown Washington, DCCentered at 8th and F Streets, NW
A UNIQUE SEASONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN THE
 HEART OF DOWNTOWN
The 7th Annual Downtown Holiday Market returns for 22
 delightful days, December 2 through 23, 2011, on the F
Street sidewalk in front of the Smithsonian American Art
 Museum & National Portrait Gallery between 7th
 & 9th Streets, NW. Bringing a unique and festive
 shopping "village" to the heart of Downtown DC, the
Noon to 8pm market features more than 175 regional
 artisans, crafters and boutique businesses of ethnically
 produced goods.
Hundreds of diverse gift items, such as jewelry, pottery
, paintings, and textiles will be offered by 60 exhibitors
each day. Check back as the exhibitors rotate and the
selection of goods will vary daily. You're sure to find something
 special for everyone on your list.
While you're shopping, enjoy lively seasonal entertainment,
 plus great snacks and festive treats. Located across from
 the Verizon Center and convenient to Metro and nearby
  parking, the market is a creative and convenient way to
fulfill all your holiday shopping needs right in the heart of Downtown.

My view from Here
My View From Here
New Post:
Only a Month away
DTHM


La Hell Raiser Says...

Vote "No" to the
"Eastern Market Preservation and Development
Amendment Act of 2011"
______________________________________________________________
Mary Belcher

Mary Belcher
long time Eastern Market and Washington, D.C. water colorist
and historian
 has done a service to all who love the Eastern Market
 Community by taking
 the time to compare and contrast the current purposed
 New Legislation for
 the Market with the current existing law. It is a very
 interesting read. Many
 thanks are due to Ms. Belcher for her detail oriented,
 clear ,and well written
analysis.
_________________________________________________________________
Please send your letters of support for the
 Eastern Market Exhibitor Community to:

The Council of the District of Columbia
Address: John A. Wilson Building,
 Suite 5, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20004
phone: 202 724 8000
fax: 202 347-3070

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To understand the destructive aims of the new amendment
 please compare it to the present law which among many
 other things protects and grandfathers in long term exhibitors
 who made it possible for Eastern Market to grow and thrive.

DownTown Holiday Market 2011
Only a Month away
La Hell Raiser Says


sax
*(photo by: Val Proudki)
Turtle's Webb Raising Hell
at Eastern Market


New post:

Vote "No" to the "Eastern Market 
Preservation
 and Development Amendment
 Act of 2011"

Vote
Join Our Mailing List!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Vote "No" to the "Eastern Market Presevation and Development Amendment Act of 2011"

A year or so ago, I wrote a letter to the Washington D.C Mayor and the D.C. City Council. It was about cultural rules, observations (witnessing); it was also a warning of what was to come.  Chickens have come home to roost, ward 6 D.C. City Council member Tommy Wells has turned on the entire Eastern community with the goal to destroy it and make it a toy in the hands of his minders.  In his new proposed legislation,  the  "Eastern Market Preservation and Development Trust,"  his Board of Directors can do virtually whatever it chooses with Eastern Market, with little if any oversight from the larger community, the merchants, the exhibitors or the D.C government.


Hence, I encourage all those who love the Eastern Market Exhibitor Community to write to the Mayor's office and the D.C. City Council and tell them to reject the " Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 2011"



The City Council of the District of Columbia

 

Address: John A. Wilson Building, Suite 5, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave,
 NW, Washington, DC 20004

E-mail: dccouncil@dccouncil.us







Fax: (202) 347-3070

Tel: (202) 724-8000



Kwame R. Brown
-Suite: 504
Tel: (202) 724-8032
Fax: (202) 724-8085
Chairman
David A. Catania - Councilmember (At-Large)
Suite: 404
Tel: (202) 724-7772
Fax: (202) 724-8087
Phil Mendelson- Councilmember (At-Large)
Suite: 402

Tel: (202) 724-8064
Fax: (202) 724-8099




Michael A. Brown - Councilmember (At-Large)
Suite: 406
Tel: (202) 724-8105
Fax: (202) 724-8071

Vincent Orange - Councilmember (At-Large)
Suite: 410
Tel: (202) 724-8174
Fax: (202) 724-8210



Michael A. Brown - Councilmember (At-Large)
Suite: 406
Tel: (202) 724-8105
Fax: (202) 724-8071






Jim Graham - Councilmember (Ward 1)
Suite: 105
Tel: (202) 724-8181
Fax: (202) 724-8109
Jack Evans - Councilmember (Ward 2)
Suite: 106
Tel: (202) 724-8058
Fax: (202) 727-8023
Muriel Bowser - Councilmember - (Ward 4)
Suite: 110
Tel: (202) 724-8052
Fax: (202) 741-0908




Mary M. Cheh - Councilmember (Ward 3)
Suite: 108
Tel: (202) 724-8062
Fax: (202) 724-8118
Harry Thomas, Jr. - Councilmember (Ward 5)
Suite: 107
Tel: (202) 724-8028
Fax: (202) 724-8076
Yvette M. Alexander - Councilmember (Ward 7)
Suite: 400
Tel: (202) 724-8068
Fax: (202) 741-0911

Marion Barry - Councilmember (Ward 8)
Suite: 102
Tel: (202) 724-8045
Fax: (202) 724-8055




__________________________________________________________



As proposed this Amendment :

*(To view copies of the current  proposed amendment and the current legislation, please view my current newsletter.)

1. Is poorly written and poorly thought out, allowing for overreaching control by the proposed : "Eastern Market Preservation and Development Trust", to destroy the current Eastern Market Community.  For example (page 3) "...privately owned or controlled land or buildings that are directly adjacent to the area defined in.....(are) subject to a lease or management agreement between the Eastern Market Preservation and Development Trust..." So does that mean, for example, that Tunnicliff's (a local pub adjacent to " Eastern Market Historic Special Use District" and across the street from the weekend exhibitors) would have to ask this "Trust"  for permission to sell alcohol? Or to have a sidewalk cafe? Or to....what else? This amendment is unclear, far reaching and unenforceable (or so local businesses should hope.)

2. Disenfranchises all current inside and outside merchants, tenants, farmers, produce resellers, and exhibitors who, through hard work, perseverance, and grace, have made Eastern Market an international beacon of community...by repealing ALL clauses that give these merchants, exhibitors et.al., the "Right of first refusal" to permanent spaces for existing side walk vendors, farmers, produce merchants and inside tenants.  There is no grandfathering clause which would legally protect those who built the market, nor is there any clause that gives any legal protection to any merchants, or exhibitors et. al.( page 13) "(e) Section 6 (D.C. Code 37-105) is repealed", (page  14) "(g) Sections 8(a), 9 and 10 (D.C. Official Code 37-107(a), 37-108, 37-109) are repealed". Under this amendment exhibitors, farmers,, tenants, and merchants all could be removed on a whim...and I think readers know that some of us almost surely would be.

3....and allow the Washington D.C.  Ward 6 Council member a disproportionate power and control in selecting and appointing members of the proposed "Board of Directors."
 (page 7)
" (iv) Five appointed by the Ward 6 Council member, all of whom shall be residents of Ward 6..."
"(B)... chairperson who shall ...selected by the Ward 6 Council member...."

"(K) The Board shall supervise and provide coordinated management over all operations in the  Eastern Market Historic Special Use District..." (page 9).

 It is also important to note that while Ward 6 council member Wells would have the majority control over hand picking, who runs the Eastern Market Complex, his amendment is very generous in allowing the City, that is to say, all District of Columbia taxpayers, to pick up the bill for maintaining Eastern Market.  For example:

 (page 13)  "(2) The District Government shall maintain primary responsibility for the providing security personnel, trash pickup, snow removal, street cleaning, insurance costs, and gas, water and electric expenses for the Eastern Market Historic Special Use District..."

 And again in section (3) Council member Wells shows his largess in allowing the City to pick up the tab. 

"(3) The District of Columbia will remain responsible for funding any major repairs, alterations, construction or improvements to the Market."






In summation, the "Eastern Market Preservation and Development Amendment Act of 201" limits the current Eastern Market vision--currently of an international, multicultural market place with a world community at its center--to a small micromanaged toy of a local Machiavellian and Napoleonic despot:  Ward 6 council member Tommy Wells.  Poorly conceived and written laws maybe proposed by anyone, but they are only passed by majority vote of Washington, D.C. City Council. Please urge them to Vote "NO" on this one.

Witnessing,
Sonda T. Allen
Turtle's Webb