Council meeting: Danny Thompson flip-flops on the curb market vote in the face of a notional alternative market threatened by some members of the group that wasn't selected in the fair and open process he previously supported.

The contract is approved anyway.

But maybe Danny will get that Rhino endorsement now.

Comments

[Billy Jones]

There's a new privately owned farmers market/flea market open on the corner of East Wendover and Huffman St. It's much bigger in size than the city owned market and spaces are still available. It's also more convenient to most of East Greensboro.

[David Hoggard]

I literally screamed at my TV last night while listening to Thompson. He is really without backbone or clue and just has to be replaced on the dais.

Flip-flopping just doesn't adequately describe the stance he took. It was pure and simple pandering to a very vocal and very intimidating small group of disgruntled, rule-breaking farmers and their handler.

If I were the inquisitive and conspiratorial type (calling George and Keith), I'd be looking to the next reports for campaign donations to Thompson's faltering campaign from those who opposed Market Inc's management contract. I say this because it is the only thing that makes ANY sense in light of Thompson's asinine comments and switched vote last night. As Kee noted, NOTHING else has changed with the dynamics of the players since Market Inc was approved to enter contract negotiations with the City this summer that would warrant Thompson's extraordinary defection. The "Collaborative" has ALWAYS threatened to leave if they didn't get their way. The "Collaborative" has ALWAYS used the tactics of intimidation, misinformation and subterfuge to try and get their way.

The Collaborative's sole reason for attempting to run the market was so they could keep thumbing their noses at the market rules as they have been doing for-friggin-ever.

Their penchant for breaking the long-standing "local" rules by continuously and surreptitiously selling anything they damn well please at the Market - then calling "foul" when they got caught and reprimanded - is the whole reason the City decided to get out of the Farmer's Market business in the first place. The City simply couldn't handle them. The "Collaborative" is, and has always been, THE disruptive faction at that market due to their extraordinary sense of entitlement and the continual bending of the inexplicably receptive ears of John Hammer and, on Council, mainly Mary Rakestraw.

If they leave, I say good riddance. Same for Danny Thompson.

[collards]

The Farmers Community Collaborative and the Rhino together almost killed the market and the effort to bring some sanity to it.

What you have a few conservative farmer types who ironically don't like to farm. They like to buy stuff at wholesalers, pretend to be farmers, and sell it to unsuspecting dupes from Irving Park. Why does John Hammer buy into this? He started by supporting Mike Causey and now the Gann Brothers.......

My, doesn't Ruth Foster look right out of Irving Park. Somehow she has been duped into taking up this cause. She did them little good last night. Now she is off to champion raw milk in her pearls and searsucker suit.

http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/raw-milk-back-on-table-in-nc/

You know the stuff that sickened a bunch of people a few weeks ago.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/07/eight-sick-in-nc-outbreak-linked-to-sc-raw-milk/

Goodbye Danny.

[Turnips are smarter than Danny Thompson]

But, but, but...

From Lil' Danny's website:

"In the end, it was Danny Thompson to the rescue on this one and it earned him some needed respect." -David Hoggard on the Farmer's Market, August 2, 2011

Goodbye Danny, you lying sack

[Gerry Alfano]

Thanks, David. My reaction was identical to yours. Both you and collards have provided a good assessment of what has actually been going on at the market. It has never been about "two factions with different approaches for managing the market." Almost all the complaints that city management and city council received about the market came from the Ganns. For some inexplicable reason, Mary
Rakestraw and John Hammer kept the controversy going at the market and gave legitimacy to the complaints. As far as I have been able to determine, Mary Rakestraw has never come to the market. Her interest in the market is baffling.

I have always believed that the market needed its own board. I commend GFM for sticking it out. I think the market has a bright future under its management.

[collards]

Oh, and according to Rakestraw Farmers should be only from Guilford Co. and cheese can come from Ohio.

Tell that to Goat Lady Dairy and Calico, both local cheesemakers.

She is a sack as well.........

[Ron]

Danny is the biggest flip flopper on city council.

[Triadwatch]

Point taken David, will look at final tallies of the campaigns. One interesting note is that Florence gatten gave money to tdbs. Had to shake my head on that one.

[Craftyboro]

Ed,

Thanks for your updates on this issue in the past year. It was voice of reason at the right time.

Now the task of our group, GFM, is show what the market can be for all. A real community resource where people and vendors can come together and share. Customers have more choices and vendors sell more to a larger customer base.

January 1 will be here before we know it. Fortunately this is the beginning of the slow time for the market, giving us time to plan for a great year.

I appreciate what the City has done to spiff the market up this fall. The clean up and improvements were long overdue.

Here's to a great 2012 for Greensboro's Farmers Market.

David Craft
Chair, Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc.

[Abner Doon]

Mr. Craft,

Please disclose who you have paid campaign contributions to
during this Greensboro City Council election cycle.

[Stephen]

If Thompson and Rakestraw are on that list, George, could he get a refund?

[Craftyboro]

George,

Look it up. It's a public record. My involvement is civic only with no financial gain. I have supported various candidates in the past and will do so in the future. What are you getting at?

Respectfully,

David Craft

[Andrew Brod]

David, if it were me, I'd tell George to look it up himself.

[Andrew Brod]

George sees conspiracy everywhere.

[Ed Cone]

I tend to be skeptical that small donations carry much influence, although they do put the donor on the candidate's radar.

But getting 40% of his campaign funds from the DH Griffin family does not make Danny Thompson look very good.