Vendors speak against potential change to Westwood farmers market staff

Local farmers and business owners held posters bearing the messages “Respect our farmers!” and “No farmer thief!” at a meeting earlier this month to protest the replacement of the current Westwood Village Farmers Market manager.

In March, the Westwood Village Improvement Association decided to replace the current manager Emmanuel Bautista after his contract ends in June. However, after a meeting in which market vendors and members of the community expressed their dissatisfaction with Bautista’s potential termination, the association decided to reconsider Bautista’s proposal to continue as market manager.

Bautista was the assistant manager of the farmers market former manager, Steve Whipple, for 10 years and became manager in December 2016. He said he was unhappy when the association created a request for proposal, or RFP, for new market operators less than two weeks after his contract began.

In March, the association created an ad hoc committee to interview four market managers. A few weeks later, the committee notified Bautista he was no longer being considered and they were deciding between managers from two farmers market companies, Raw Inspiration and Farmer Mark.

Andrew Thomas, the association’s executive director, said the RFP and original decision to replace Bautista did not reflect Bautista’s performance. The association is obligated to its stakeholders to periodically complete RFPs, he said. He added the association was not entirely satisfied with Whipple’s performance as manager.

Bautista said he thinks the association’s decision process did not give him a fair opportunity to show what he can do. He added he thinks the association was punishing him for Whipple’s performance.

Thomas said the association does not currently favor any potential manager since their Business Attraction and Retention Committee is still reviewing the three potential market managers’ applications, including Bautista’s.

Bautista said he thinks he should continue to manage the market because he believes he has done everything the association asked of him and more. He said he fixed permit issues for vendors, brought in new vendors that sell unique products and livened up the market with entertainment, including a steel drummer and a jazz funk musician.

Many market vendors said they strongly support Bautista and are concerned about a corporate manager potentially replacing him.

Jack Kohara, who owns Shigeru Nursery and sells fresh-cut flowers, said he is loyal to Bautista and especially appreciates that he helped him find parking for his unconventional truck. Kohara, who has worked in markets operated by Raw Inspiration, said he dislikes how they conduct business and thinks they charge high fees.

“I would probably resign (from the market) if another operator took place, and especially if it was Raw Inspiration,” Kohara said.

David Portillo, who works for Homeboy Industries Bakery, said he thinks Bautista has done a great job bringing in unique vendors that do not create competition. He added he is concerned a different manager might bring in other vendors that sell the same products and crowd the street with too many vendors.

Portillo said Homeboy Industries Bakery has had to bow out of other markets because of too much competition and he hopes this does not happen in Westwood.

Emily Greenberg, who owns Greenberg Ranch and sells avocados, said she once could not come to the market because she had to take care of her elderly mother, but Bautista was understanding and did not charge her the standard market fees.

Greenberg said she thinks a corporate manager would have charged her the full fees. She added she thinks most farmers market companies focus more on the profits than the produce.

Jessica Dabney, chair of the association’s board of directors, said the new manager must coordinate with the vendors and association if they make any changes to the market.

Dabney added she visited four different markets operated by Raw Inspiration, and thinks they were tailored to each community. She also said she would like to see the Westwood farmers market more busy and vibrant.

She emphasized the association created the RFP to ensure the farmers market is of the highest quality.

“(The RFP) was not targeted at the farmers market,” Dabney said. “This is how we conduct our business.”