HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Although the short-term future operation of the Holland Farmer’s Market is being contracted out by the City of Holland, it appears that it won’t be taken out of the area.
Two organizations and one individual submitted bids by Tuesday’s deadline to land the one-year deal to oversee the 8th Street Marketplace, which includes running the successful Farmer’s Market. Edward Morales and the Holland Area Visitors Bureau each said that it can handle the task for a total annual fee of 75 thousand dollars, while Visser Farms submitted a 64-thousand-340-dollar bid. Three other entities that were invited to participate decided not to participate. City Manager Ryan Cotton said in documents ahead of Wednesday’s City Council Work-Study Session that a total of 28 potential requests were sent out, with two potential bidders coming to a pre-bid meeting.
The decision to not replace the retiring Market Master Candy Todd and Market Assistant Judy Laidler or to have current staffers take over their duties was made by city leaders last month. Cotton and his staff is “requesting Council direction on responses to the City’s Request for Proposal for the 8th Street Marketplace contractual services,” with a target date of October 5th to make a decision for 2017 and possibly 2018 while the Civic Center and its environs are renovated.
