Downtown Waterville Farmers' Market Association

Market Rules

[ Adopted April 2007, revised Jan. 2008. ]

1. LOCATION AND TIME:

a. The Downtown Waterville Farmers' Market (DWFM) is located in the Concourse Parking Lot in the northern corner of the area that directly abuts Main Street.

b. The Market is officially open every Thursday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM from the first Thursday in May through the third Thursday in November.

c. The market will be held rain or shine.

d. Dates, times and locations may vary from year to year as decided by the membership.

e. Winter Market will be held 2-4 PM on the third Thursdays of Dec. to Apr. in the summer location.

2. MARKET SPONSOR

a. The DWFM will be sponsored by Waterville Main Street (WMSt), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Downtown Waterville.

b. WMSt will serve as the liaison between the market and the City of Waterville to coordinate space arrangements, parking restrictions, and other logistical details.

c. WMSt will provide General Liability Insurance to the DWFM. Individual vendors may wish to carry their own insurance in addition to the coverage provided by WMSt, but it will not be required.

d. WMSt will contract for advertising and other services as approved by the membership.

e. WMSt will establish a separate budget account for all funds collected from the DWFM and will expend these resources only with the approval of the DWFM membership.

3. MEMBERSHIP:

a. The voting membership shall consist of one representative from each participating vendor. One vote per membership is allowed.

b. All new members are subject to the approval of the current voting membership or a committee appointed by the membership.

c. Application for membership is open to all Maine farmers; local meat, poultry and dairy producers; local fishermen or distributors of Maine seafood products; producers of fiber products; producers of value-added items such as baked goods and preserves; craftspeople, etc. Handicrafts vendors may not represent more than 20% of total market vendors.

d. New applications will be reviewed during the April business meeting. The mandatory meeting for new applicants is part of the application process and new applicants must attend for their application to be considered. Applications may be accepted with the stipulation that certain products on the application are excluded from acceptance and may not be brought to market.

e. Applications submitted by prospective members will be voted upon when there is sufficient space to allow an additional vendor. If there is no space available, a waiting list will be maintained. Late applications will be considered only if they would fill a Market Void.

f. All continuing members will complete applications annually.

g. Simple majority votes carry the motion.

4. ATTENDANCE:

a. Members are expected to stay until close of market on each market day unless they are "sold out."

b. Members may arrive up to one hour prior to opening time for the purpose of setting up their displays. Members should not arrive earlier than necessary for them to be ready for business at opening time (2 pm).

c. Members are encouraged to attend all pre-season business meetings, which will be held in January and April.

d. Members are encouraged to participate in all Market activities.

5. DUES:

a. Dues include an annual, non-refundable fee of $40, due by March 15 of the current market year, plus a $5 daily fee for each market day attended, payable to the Market Manager on each market day.

b. Checks should be made payable to "Downtown Waterville Farmers' Market” and mailed to: DWFM, c/o WMSt, 177 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901.

6. STALLS:

a. The number of available spaces will be determined annually by the membership.

b. No more than 50% of spaces will be comprised of one type of product.

c. Three quarters of the market spaces will be assigned by the Association to members who desire an assigned space, leaving the remainder of the spaces available to members who do not request an assigned space. Space assignments will be determined by the Members present at Opening Day, and if a Member is absent for Opening Day their assigned space (should they desire one) will be determined the first day they attend market of the season. If you have an assigned space and you cannot come to market, please notify the Market Manager so that your space may be filled in by others.

d. Members are limited to one vehicle/booth per market.

e. Members are expected to maintain a neat and tasteful display. Each member is required to clean up his/her space at the end of the market day. Trash is carry-in, carry-out.

f. No vendor will bring his/her dog to Market.

7. PRODUCTS:

a. All products, which include but are not limited to: vegetables, seedlings, herbs, preserves, fresh-cut and dried flowers, meats, poultry, seafood, dairy products, crafts, etc., sold at the DWFM must be grown or made by the vendor with the following exception: Vendors may arrange to sell specific Maine grown or Maine-made products with prior approval of the majority of the members as long as these products do not exceed 25% of the vendor's display or on-site availability of product. When possible, vendors should submit their plans to sell "bought in" products with their applications but must have approval at least one week in advance of offering those products.

b. "Bought in" goods may not compete against other member-produced goods of the same kind and must be labeled to indicate where it was produced. The regulation of Buy-Ins will be conducted in an informal manner: if a vendor wishes to buy-in a product that is also available from a vendor that produces the product themselves, the person buying-in the product may bring the product to market providing they receive the prior approval from the vendor that produces the product themselves.

c. Vendors wishing to bring new items must so state on their annual applications for review by the membership. Those wishing to introduce new products after the beginning of the season must notify vendors offering similar products and obtain membership approval.

d. Farm visits by member volunteers will be made as need to ensure a member's production of what is being offered for sale. Every new member will have a farm visit. Also, one third of the membership will be visited each year to build neighborliness and to keep up to date with members changing and expanding products.

8. APPLICABLE STATE LICENSES & REGULATIONS:

a. Knowledge of and compliance with all state regulations regarding the production, labeling, display and sale of all products at the Downtown Waterville Farmers' Market is the responsibility of the individual vendor.

9. PRESENTATION:

a. Vendors should present themselves in an appropriate manner and dress.

b. There will be no alcohol consumption or any smoking on the Market premises by any member.

c. There will be no unsportsmanlike conduct and no hawking of products.

d. Vendors must display farm or business names and addresses in a prominent manner each market day.

e. Vendors will provide some means of posting prices of all products offered for sale.

10. NON-COMPLIANCE:

a. When two or more vendors on any market day believe that the selling practices of another vendor are detrimental to the Market, they may ask the Market Manager to address the issue with the vendor.

b. If the situation cannot be resolved by the Market Manager, a special meeting of the membership shall be called. A majority of those present at that special meeting may require that the detrimental practices be changed to conform to membership standards. Failure to do so may be cause for immediate dismissal if so voted by a majority of all market members.

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As revised and approved by the DWFM General Meeting 26-Apr-07, dates revised 9-Jan-2008.