Adams Suspends Summer Farmers Market
ADAMS, Mass. – The Adams farmers market is folding after three summers at the Visitors Center.
Town officials don't want to be responsible for running the summer operation anymore, but say they will provide support if a group wants to take it over.
Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco told the Selectmen at Wednesday's workshop meeting that although the market is run well, the town administrator's office should not be spending $3,000 to run it.
"I don't really feel it's the best thing for my office to do because if we do one event, then we do two events and then 10," he said. "I think our involvement in events is important, but if we are going to provide support it should maybe be for some marketing or having the DPW help set up. Not running the whole thing."
Mazzucco said it would become too costly to run town events and even the small amount of money could be used to hire an intern or something of the like.
The market was resurrected in 2013 after more than a decade through the efforts of the Agricultural Commission, the town and Mass in Motion. It was run by the short-lived tourism director post and the by an administrative assistant. In 2014, it was averaging 180 visitors a week and about two dozen vendors.
Selectman Jeffrey Snoonian said the farmers market attendance was light last year, but attributed this to too many local markets.
"In my opinion you could have Warren Buffett running it, but I think there is just an oversaturation," Snoonian said. "The North Adams farmers market is very well attended, the Lanesborough one is as well. I think we just didn't get there fast enough."
Selectman Arthur "Skip" Harrington, who often volunteered at the market, said it was a lot of work. And food vendors could not accept SNAP or EBT cards because they did not make up 80 percent of the vendors at the market, which included crafts and other items. He said this also may have affected attendance.
Selectman Joseph Nowak agreed and said he hopes the farmers can find another market to go to so they can sell their goods. He added that the town could use the money to implement a farm-to-table program in town.
"I would like to see a little bit more of that in town because I think we are fortunate to have some farms that could produce some items that could be used in family households and in restaurants," Nowak said. "It could help them economically, and it's a good small town touch."
The board also discussed Community Supported Agriculture in which residents can pay a farm in advance for food during the growing season.
Officials agreed to take a year off from the market unless a volunteer group decided to take the helm.
In other business, Mark Cappadona, a Colonial Power Group representative, said the state Department of Public Utilities has approved the town's application to join an electrical aggregation program. This will allow Adams to choose an electrical power supplier from the marketplace; National Grid will continue to be the distributor.
Town meeting passed a warrant article last year that started this process. Because of the increase in electricity rates, many towns and cities have joined municipal electrical aggregation plans, including some communities in Berkshire County that joined together for group purchasing power.
Cappadona added that Adams can lock in at a cost less than what the Berkshire County group is receiving though Hampshire Power because rates at the moment are historically low. He said Adams could see a rate that's a cent less than the other communities.
"The market has sold off tremendously," he said. "That deal was near $65 a megawatt hour and now we are down to about $40."
He said the town could lock in this lower rate for 18 months so it was in sync with the other Berkshire County communities.
Snoonian asked if the town could go back out to the market place every six months so it can lock in the best rate possible.
Cappadona said it is possible, but few communities do it.
"People like a long stable rate and what people get upset about is what happens with National Grid ... where the rate fluctuates," he said. "Most communities try to smooth it out and create savings over the contract so there is not a huge whipsaw going up and down."
The must choose what kind of power it wants and the length of its contract. A local green energy option is hydro at 3/10 of a cent more than other competitive rates.
The selectmen asked Cappadona to provide them with different rates and options sometime next week.
Once a rate and contract has been determined, the board can vote to give Mazzucco the authority to choose the rate and go to the market. The selectmen said they wanted to go to market in March after National Grid has selected a new rate.
Residents can opt out of the town's rate and choose their own supplier. The new rate could be in place by May.
Tags: electrical aggregation, farmers market,
