* 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
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!
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