Council approves Harvest Valley Farmers Market permit despite vendor concerns about new fees

The Stevensville Town Council on Feb. 12 approved a special‑event permit for the Harvest Valley Farmers Market, allowing the market to hold its regular downtown season while the town implements edits to its special‑event permit application.

Jess Bundren, president of the Harvest Valley Farmers Market, and Stacy Barker, a market organizer, told the council the market has run on West 3rd Street for 14 years and that proposed fee changes contained in the new fee schedule would increase the market’s costs. Barker said earlier draft estimates would raise a regular‑season vendor's cost from about $225 per Saturday to roughly $890 annually under the new framework, and she urged the council to consider community impacts.

Mayor (unidentified) and council members acknowledged the concern, explained that the newly adopted fee structure will be applied going forward, and said the market may predate and submit permit requests for its full season in advance to secure dates rather than appear every two weeks. The mayor said the initial permit had been signed tentatively on Jan. 13 but final council approval is required and was being resolved at the Feb. 12 meeting.

Council member Ross moved to approve the Harvest Valley Farmers Market permit; council member Bailey seconded and the motion carried on a roll call vote recorded in the meeting transcript.

Council and staff repeatedly encouraged organizers to submit seasonal dates in advance so schedule conflicts are minimized and noted that ordinances can be revised later if the council chooses to change the two‑week renewal requirement.