The Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) met Sept. 25 at Eastern Market’s North Hall and online.
A scheduled election was held to replace longtime EMCAC Community Representative Tom Kuchenberg who recently ed away. Four candidates were on the ballot: Susan Oursler, Kirsten Oldenburg, Erin Monju and Robert Clark. Susan Oursler, Former EMCAC member, was declared the winner.
Oursler spoke briefly and declared that she would bring “budget expertise” as well as experience with operation. Oursler was seated and immediately asked to serve as EMCAC’s Treasurer, a requested she accepted.
Bollards
Once again the security bollards were on the Agenda. As in Ella Fitzgerald’s classic “Undecided” it is “first you said, you do and then you don’t; and then you say, you will; and then you won’t.”
Once again EMCAC learned the long promised bollards and their funding had been postponed. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) vetoed the desired placement of bollards, needed to secure the market area. DDOT is now recommending an unwieldy substitute barrier at a considerably lower cost of $750,000. According to Chair Chuck Burger, the proposed barrier resembles those that one might find at a stadium.
Burger said that EMCAC rejects DDOT’s recommendation and is putting a meeting together in Councilmember Allen’s office with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Public Safety Division (PSD) with DDOT participating. “As far as safety and historic character there is no comparison to the [EMCAC approved] bollards,” Burger said.
The good news is that two MPD PSD are now permanently assigned to the Market effective Oct. 1, presumably to include weekends. The Market has been operating without a police presence since Department of General Services imposed budget cuts during COVID, leading to petty crime and tresing. DGS is both management and maintenance at Eastern Market.
EMCAC say this endless and unresolved discussion of security at the Market places some of their in peril.
Market Manager’s Report
Market Manager Barry Margeson did not present a written report as is his custom. However, he did report the outstanding news that although market revenues were projected at $886,000 for this fiscal year these are very likely to be $950,000 or more. Most of the revenue was driven by the North Hall but also includes fees from outside vending. “We are doing really well,” Margeson stated.
Peter Waldron is a long time resident and former chair of ANC6B. Waldron has been reporting on the Eastern Market for fifteen years and can be reached at [email protected].
