Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/331331
4 JUNE 18-24, 2014 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM High 93º Low 70º PM Thunderstorms ...Parking deck that is. Honestly, when I first heard we had hired a consulting firm to help city and county officials determine an adequate location for a Fayetteville Farmers Market, I knew another dual governmental fiasco was about to begin. Why? Well, first of all, both the city and county have a long history of spending taxpayers money on surveys, consultants and studies that end up being either totally ignored or rejected. Why? Because the stated results did not confirm, support or justify their predetermined outcome or they just wanted to create the illusion and appearance of executing proper due diligence. Two examples come to mind: In Fayetteville there was the Multi- Modal Transit Center. A firm from Charlotte, headed up by former politico Harry Gantt recommended three sites from the many proposed by the city. After a presentation outlining the reasons behind their selection, the city council chose none of them as an option. As a result, it will be built in a highly protested area between Robeson, Russell, Franklin and Winslow streets. The small site will not allow for growth or for the construction proposed by the consultants. Many in the community, including those whose businesses were and will be impacted believe it is an inappropriate site. Last year, Cumberland County residents in the Cedar Creek area insisted they needed transportation service to downtown Fayetteville. Despite studies and indications that supported otherwise, the county commissioner's spent $14,000 to prove their point and appease their constituents. It was a needless expenditure. See the point? Most recently, the county spent $24,000 on a search for a new county manager to replace retiring manager James Martin. Why? In a matter of weeks, after the money was spent, the commissioners voted unanimously to award the job to Deputy County Manager Amy Cannon who was actively serving as interim county manager. Cannon's reputation, work ethic and competence has served Cumberland County with distinction for well over two decades making her the obvious choice. I guess a $24,000 CYA is a good deal when your spending other people's money. However, I digress. Personally, I was never a fan of locating the Farmers Market in the parking deck. But, then again, I feel its current location at the Transportation Museum is appropriate and complements our downtown community. However, location is only one deterrent to the success of a downtown Farmers Market; a new location will not solve the problem. For some unknown reason the city and county are trying much too hard to artificially force the success of a Farmers Market on the community while ignoring at least six important points of consideration and reality. Actual need, demand, competition, marketing, advertising and promotion. Six strikes and you're out! Twice! In any case, let's get on with it. We already have more than a dozen "fruit and vegetable" stands effectively serving our community. Half of them are known as "farmer's markets." What will distinguish our Farmers Market from the rest is the ability to develop, market, advertise and promote it as a destination point. Otherwise, another great opportunity to enhance our community will be lost. Honestly, this shouldn't be that hard. Stay tuned and thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. 'We Will Do It Our Way: Farmers Market Hits the Deck by BILL BOWMAN STAFF Calendar.......................................12 Concert.Connection....................18 Free.Wheelin'.Feelin'...................19 Horoscopes/Advice.Goddess.....20. Games..........................................21 Classifieds....................................22. INSIDE PUBLISHER'S PEN PUBLISHER Bill Bowman Bill@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com OPERATIONS OFFICER Jerred Sanders accounting@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Martin, Pitt Dickey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Shanessa Fenner, Heather Griffiths DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ OFFICE COORDINATOR Laurel Handforth laurel@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Aurora Alexander aurora@upandcomingweekly.com Linda McAlister Brown linda@upandcomingweekly.com Kristy Sykes kristy@upandcomingweekly.com Beverly Pone beverlypone@upandcomingweekly.com ––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. High 99° Low 75° Thunderstorms 7 Forecast available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Monday June 23 Tuesday June 24 High 98° Low 75° Thunderstorms 24 / Thursday June 19 High 97° Low 72° Isolated Thunderstorms High 85° Low 71° Scattered Thunderstorms High 92º Low 71º PM Thunderstorms Friday June 20 Saturday June 21 Sunday June 22 Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Call 910.354.1679 BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, Up & Coming Weekly. COMMENTS? BILL@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200.