Columbia's market house is struggling, and solutions are difficult to find

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Anonymous said…
WOW!!!! Has Cle been hiding under a rock???? He states before the trust took over the Market was operating in the red and it had the same problem then that it has now.. Cle I don't know if you ever been in the Market when Carmen was Market manager if not there are plenty of pictures that will show the Market was BOOOOOOMING full of vendors and customers every week... You say the Market was using tax dollars to operate back then I don't think that was the case because there was enough vendors there to pay bills,, Who pays the bills now??? There sure isn't enough vendors there to pay any.... THE TRUST IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE MARKET GET RID OF THE TRUST AND THE MARKET WILL THRIVE AGAIN...... " CLE name one just one good thing the trust has ever done for the Market... This is a question that never seems to be answered..... ( Because they done nothing good " Your own trust members can't even answer that question"....
December 11, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Anonymous said…
Cole, Sadly as we head down an all to familiar road... the Council is in the only position they can be because so much money is at stake and lost. Meaning, a grant is the only hope that the market will relive or revive? Too many past dirty deeds were done by the Trust and Cle is correct by saying it has become more than negative. However, one would think with that concept, The Trust would step out of the box and make a drastic measure. Perhaps, one that would lead everyone to be more appreciative. Cole, what is more upsetting out of all this is not that we lost terrific managers, vendors, customers, more than our fair share at "black eyes"or respect. It's the powerful statement from council that say's, OUR HANDS ARE TIED AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL>Hmmm. This will damage everything far more than they will ever know. This behavior, secretacy and otherwise will NEVER be forgotten. People that are on Council and Trust will always be remembered as the LACK OF TRUST OF THOSE THEY SERVE. I often wonder what goes on behind closed doors in the council chambers. I would be willing to bet on more than one occasion, that the Council members have said, please people give us a break on this whole Trust thing. I would also be willing to bet that when the Trust meets at the Union or other places a bunch of laughs going on to cover up there true thoughts. I personally think that both Council and Trust are so far into this shame, that it will take a miracle to recover from. I DO BELIEVE that the Council did have the best of intentions to pass management over to the Trust. I believe the vision was clear when they first thought this up, but what unfolded was nothing more than a disgrace. I wish the Trust would allow a helping hand from the ones who are here and concerned. In the past, my wife and I would come and visit and sit, sing, hug, shop and enjoy. Memories were made, businesses were started and things were moving in the right direction. I also remember the tours that the one manager gave with heart and passion. I remember that when I would stop and talk to her, she was always open, pleasant and accommodated many request. I attended the many meetings that patrons, vendors and managers pleaded and pleaded and pleaded with Council to rethink the control. Think about it folks, why would you NOT have control of your investment. What person in their right mind would allow someone to waste time, money and more. People are sued everyday for stealing or breaking contracts. Why is this any different. Why is it that we have no answers and more importantly no say. This biggest and most powerful statement I can make and end with is this..... PEOPLE ITS NOT THE BOROUGH WHO HAS NO CONTROL, IT'S US! I would be willing to bet that if anyone has a conscious, they will see the plea and understand its not about control it's about COLUMBIA PROUD! PAUL STANFORD SR.
December 11, 2014 at 3:44 PM
Anonymous said…
GET RID OF THE TRUST THE BOROUGH AND ITS TAXPAYERS ARE THE OWNERS.,...NOT THE FEW ON MARKET TRUST WHO HAVE FAILED.
December 11, 2014 at 5:29 PM
Anonymous said…
Thanks to those that took the time to comment on this subject. Regardless what "side" you are on, it's always good to hear from everyone because someone's opinion could show us a different point of view.
December 11, 2014 at 8:54 PM
Anonymous said…
It seems a rather easy fix/solution....the Boro should get rid of the trust and figure what it would take to get Carmen back to restore the Market House. From what I've been hearing over the past year, it wouldn't take long to see vendors come spilling back.

It seems all to apparent that the Trust is in it for all the wrong reasons and it's just not working. Look at this model: a business continues to dump resources over an extended time with nothing but downward trending in new development and loss of customers and revenue. Eventually, the company either goes bankrupt, restructures with new management, is bought out, or terminates the person in charge of the downward trend. How is it that the Boro has seen the market house once thriving and now almost dwindle to nothing and not do a thing about it?? Listen to the few standholders left there.....they continually plea for someone to help remove the Trust.

Don't let the Trust run the Market House into the ground so they can use it for their own wishes, an art boutique......


December 12, 2014 at 7:06 AM
Unknown said…
We seem to forget about Renae Sears who fought for ten years to open the market after being closed for many years.
The market was amazing with an overflow in the building next to the market. So to all the supporters of past market managers, Renae Sears had the strongest results. Which in fact was fired for all the wrong reasons.
Since then we have had nothing but negativity and bad press which WGAL and LNP feeds on.My advise is to let the Trust ride the storm until the end of 2015 and see where it takes this market.
Renae, Brian. Carmine and others will never be forgotten, but living in the past will not bring this market back to prominence. Remember black eyes will heal, so let us show this county we can heal as one.
December 12, 2014 at 8:31 AM
Anonymous said…
No offense to the last comment, but the black eye has not healed... it's been years..
December 12, 2014 at 8:54 AM
Anonymous said…
Was it posted anywhere for Market Master position? Are the candidate names public information? Do we trust the "trust"?
December 12, 2014 at 12:32 PM
Anonymous said…
the solution is SIMPLE.....REMOVE THE TRUST. PERIOD. END OF STORY. and shame on Boro management and more so borough council for this freaking mess. you all should be ashamed of yourselves. yous will NEVER learn. and oh...also a big mistake to you ALL for NOT protecting the Boro in this disaster and the taxpayers. You ALL should be removed.
December 12, 2014 at 1:06 PM
Anonymous said…
this fix is so easy.friday market went through the same stuff,but not because of some trust.they went to friday, sat, and business went down hill.they were thinking about closing and decided to go back to one day,friday,for a 6 month trial and guess what,place is back to booming.why not put reanae,or carmen,back in charge,open just on thursday for 6 months.i'm betting you will have a bunch of standholders coming back and the place would be booming.the problem is,this is to simple.the trust is gonna hold on for dear life and when 2015 comes around the council will keep them in charge.after taking control of a market that was starting to come back and then do things to force stand holders to leave and i don't know how many market managers,the coucil should take a body count sometime and count how many stand holders and market managers were forced out of market.and then look in the mirror and say,why are we so afraid of them?sadly,it seems as if the trust has more power then the boro council.maybe someday we will have elite stand holders and elite customers and change the name of the market to WE ARE,ELITES!
December 12, 2014 at 1:53 PM
Anonymous said…
Here we go again, this town is becoming a Domino tumbling down the road to oblivion or at best a shadow of what it once was, and it all come's down to what it was and is and seemingly always to be the people who control the agenda in Columbia. What is the solution, first and foremost I firmly believe a Marketing Specialist should be hired to work with the Downtown Economic Group, not just for the Market but the whole town, Columbia has been a gold mine waiting to happen for 50 years but it keeps being held back because there is a mind set among a group of people in this town who seem content to just sit back and play the game, let's not forget we the people of this town voted for most of the idiot's that sit in the Building at 3rd and Locust St. as for the Trust Group, get rid of it, hand the reins over to a group who will promote the Market and the Town, wake up Columbia!!!! take a walk downtown tomorrow and look at the vacant store fronts, look how many homes are for sale, look at some grand old buildings in disrepair but are owned by the slumlords who only care about the monthly checks guaranteed to them by Section 8, the list goes on and on and lets not forget Columbia High School could have merged many years ago and what happened to that but Political decisions that have come back and biting every resident in the ass!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I am sitting here wishing I could make a decision to eliminate every person responsible for all of it and replacing them with competent people who have Columbia Pride and would work to restore this town to its former self, this all can be done, oh yes I know I am beating on and old drum but somebody has to keep the dance alive, things are happening slowly and surely which is great but a group needs to be formed and people have to removed, there has been a lot of illegal transactions made in this town over the last 50 years and all of it seems to be under the rug waiting to be swept away, I think that time is soon to be here, we all need to attend meetings and voice concerns, this is a problem we have to share, its our town and we really need to get it back, we all have a stake here, this blog itself shows me how many are concerned...Getting the Market House back is a small piece of a very big puzzle but its and excellent place to start, maybe a monthly meeting of Columbia residents can gather and exchange ideas, its a start.........
December 12, 2014 at 2:39 PM
Anonymous said…
Sorry but there is only one vendor there currently who complains about the trust and that is TJs, who by the way was suppose to leave in November. The trust was nice enough to allow him to stay till January even with all the shit he has started!
December 12, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Anonymous said…
All you negative naysayers need to go. That is the reason the market isn't doing well not the trust. The market may have few stands right now but take a look at quality vs quantity.. The products being sold right now are some of the best the market has ever had. Old workd pretzels, Susquehanna blue smoke, and nuts about granola. Phenomenal products!!
December 12, 2014 at 3:18 PM
Anonymous said…
get real...the market is NOT doing even 1/100 th of well BECAUSE of the TRUST
December 12, 2014 at 9:49 PM
Anonymous said…
it is NOT the naysayers. the trust has had what ONE YEAR...and as you can plainly see. they did not spend any of the 365 days well. they MUST go.yes it's as SIMPLE as that. hire a qualified individual...like Renee or Carmen...but i think it would be a mistake to bring either back. we don't need drama.
December 13, 2014 at 8:23 AM
Anonymous said…
Stick a fork in it; she's done.

There just isn't the traffic downtown to support the thing. Sucks, but how long are we as a town going to keep this carcass that is a markethouse on life support?

--FMB
December 13, 2014 at 11:12 AM
Anonymous said…
It's a shame the market has gone the way it is, no fruit or veggie stands, no flower stands, no bake goods, meat or chicken vendors, and nothing of any value. Some homemade products, jewelry stand, avon, 2 pretzel stands, TJ's and a rib stand. People want mostly food products when they come to market not specialty stands. For those standholders that have been there less than a year, they don't understand the drama. They side with the Trust!!! Well let's just wait and see what the grant, if received will do for the markethouse. Good luck to all!!!
December 13, 2014 at 8:27 PM
Ed Jones said…
Hey "Anonymous",....you coward! You want to make disparaging remarks about the vendor that's the main draw in the Market and use language that isn't even allowed on TV? You gutless coward!!!! Come out from behind that mask and say what you feel openly!
December 13, 2014 at 10:29 PM
Ed Jones said…
These are great thoughts. I don't know why you wouldn't put your name on this post. Carmen has offered to do the job, (revitalize the Market), for FREE!!! By the trust ignoring her offer, shows that there is another agenda and YOU have described it perfectly!
December 13, 2014 at 10:34 PM
Ed Jones said…
Funny how the great food at TJ's Cheesesteaks & More is missing from the list you've posted. Could you be the same anonymous, gutless coward that made the comments above about how "nice" the trust was to let him stay? It's obvious you have no idea why he's still there or you don't want to say it. He's caught up in government bullying in the form of "red tape". If he goes, things will get REAL quiet in there.
December 13, 2014 at 10:44 PM
Anonymous said…
What's really aahame is this town has far bigger problems than a failed market house that needs the leaders attention & everybody's spending their time on this issue. If we don't address the costs of our school & police force, none of this trivial stuff matters. We as a town have got to prioritize our problem issues & address them accordingly. There will be no Columbia's markethouse if we file bankruptcy. This will be one of the assets that is sold to help settle outstanding debts.
December 14, 2014 at 8:16 AM
Anonymous said…
Check out Saveourmarket on facebook for some history on the market. I no longer have a stand but did for 2 years and yes we went every Avenue we could to make change all for not.
December 14, 2014 at 11:38 AM
Anonymous said…
Well said but know cares about those issues due to their resentment of change and to those who are looking to Columbia a better place for all.
December 14, 2014 at 12:23 PM
Anonymous said…
Your page has nothing to do with actually saving the market. You just want to tear it down since you are no longer there. Stop being selfish, you are only hurting the current vendors that want to be there.
December 14, 2014 at 2:42 PM
Anonymous said…
It does not make anyone a "naysayer" to ask WHERE it was advertised for the open Market Master position, or WHOM is interviewing as a candidate.

Note: No one has answered these questions.

December 14, 2014 at 6:57 PM
Anonymous said…
I agree. When I go into a market I am looking for produce, fresh flowers, baked goods. Items I can take home to share with my family. Not Avon and tupperwear. I have to admit though, Susquehanna Blue Smoke is a draw for me - his meat and dry rubs are awesome.
December 15, 2014 at 8:41 AM
Anonymous said…
Hmm, let's see. Why would a weekday market fail? Because people who have money to spend actually work during that time! People who can sit for hours over a cup of coffee, while a vital part of our community, should not be the target demographic for the market. Columbia market will never have the critical mass to support a weekday market like Roots or Central Market. Just a fact. Provide some free parking, get actual produce stands that sell produce (maybe solicit some Marietta Market vendors, Marietta is open on Sundays, Columbia, if open on Saturdays, could help them out), get local meats, ban the crap items like Avon, and limit it to just homemade, local produce, meat and some prepared foods.



December 15, 2014 at 10:54 AM
Anonymous said…
To the commenter above, check your facts. Columbai market IS OPEN ON SATURDAYS!!! 8 am to 4 pm. Suggest you try it out or are you a part of the problem that I am referring to. There are only 2 types here - those who widh to be part of the solution and those who are part of the problem. Which train do you wish to get on board?
December 15, 2014 at 1:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Cole, here we sit. Just curious if anyone from the trust is reading this? Don Haines, Elaine Beckley, Cle, that's all I know that I can find as for names on the trust???. If so, I as a tax payer would encourage you to put your mouth where your money is and follow through on the one comment you say you are doing.... "DOING WHAT"S BEST FOR THE MARKET". If you swear in to do what's in the best interest of the market, why not actually do it? I have seen two of the trust meeting, laughing as if their own pride does not matter. Gee, what is it going to take? I understand people should opt to stop for the Nay Sayers , but it's the nay sayers who are speaking the truth. We have asked for answers, we have giving patience, we have asked for just about everything and the more we get into this, the worse it get's. I personally think the Trust hides because they are to far into this and can't fix it.... People have offered their time, their advice, the vendors have begged, the Borough claims they are tied and often embarrassed... Trust, please take a moment and think what is important. Save your grace by doing the right thing. Make a call! everyone is willing to end this and change it for the better.
December 15, 2014 at 1:23 PM
Joe Lintner said…
As of about six months ago, the board members were as follows:

Chairman Cleon Berntheizel
Vice-Chairman Don Haines
Secretary Rebecca Murphy
Treasurer Elaine Beckley
Member (nonvoting) Ed Schopf
Member Jodie Eck (nonvoting)
Member (nonvoting) as of yet unnamed
December 15, 2014 at 2:01 PM
Joe Lintner said…
I think the first four are still on the board, but I'm not sure about the rest.
December 15, 2014 at 2:02 PM
Anonymous said…
Cant get 5 people to show for council meetings. Good luck with the committee meeting.
December 15, 2014 at 3:03 PM
Anonymous said…
Cole, surprised you have not responded to the very negative responses to the LNP article on their website, comments like "Columbia is the armpit of Lancaster County..." and suggestions that they "sell crack in the market house". Are we to accept this as a town, or do we respond back to LNP in kind?
December 16, 2014 at 7:08 AM
Anonymous said…
The only way to refute these accusations is to show them positive things in Cola to contradict what they're saying. Unfortunately there are way too many bad things & too little good things happening in this town to put a positive spin on things. On top of this our leaders are making so many mistakes ie ( market house, 13th St, Park School Park) that it looks like we are being run by a bunch of amaetures & will never be able to turn it around.
December 16, 2014 at 2:16 PM
Joe Lintner said…
Go here for an update:
http://columbiapa-17512.blogspot.com/2014/12/market-house-trust-board-of-directors.html?m=0
December 16, 2014 at 6:18 PM
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