Turlock Council picks Cipponeri market, names city manager

Despite passionate pleas from the crowd to turn back the clock, the Turlock Council award on Tuesday awarded the bitterly contested farmers market contract to the only remaining bidder. In closed session, the Council named former Turlock Police Chief Gary Hampton as city manager.

Hampton, 54, will take the reins April 1 from Interim City Manager Michael Cooke, who will resume his position as municipal services director. Hampton served as chief from 2006-2011, and has led the city of Tracy police department since.

As police chief, Hampton also served as interim city manager for a time in both Turlock and Tracy. He holds a Master’s degree in organizational leadership and business management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.

Hampton’s selection was announced via email at 11 p.m.

The farmers market vote was 3 to 2, granting the Main Street market on Saturday mornings to the Golden State Farmers Market Association run by Peter and Maia Cipponeri.

Mayor Gary Soiseth and council members Amy Bublak and Matthew Jacob voted for the new market, saying they hoped both markets could put aside their differences and find a way to work together.

Council members Steve Nascimento and Bill DeHart cast the dissenting votes.

DeHart proposed a moratorium on having any farmers market this year, or ignoring the requested proposal and voting on the matter as it originally arrived, with two competing street closure permits.

“I think we enter very very shaky ground when we introduce a process when we already have a teammate,” he said.

“I can’t support handing over such a valuable asset of our community to someone with six month’s experience,” said Nascimento. He also questioned the viability of a newcomer when many existing market vendors have said they do not want the change.

Nascimento has consistently voted to keep in place the local nonprofit that has run it for the last six years. The Turlock Certified Farmers Market was the second bidder, but did not provide requested information or documents regarding their tax status to the Council and formally withdrew their proposal on Monday.

Several TCFM board members, however, urged the Council to grant the nonprofit sole rights to the downtown market anyway.

“You started this because you didn’t want a lawsuit,” said Patty Kapor. “But you may have started a lawsuit. You’ve awoken a sleeping giant in this community. I don’t think you know what you’ve done,” she said to loud applause.

Community members also rose to support keeping the nonprofit in place.

“Volunteers from al walks of life made up the backbone of that group,” said Scott Snyder, asking the Council to find a way to vote in favor of the nonprofit even without a formal proposal. “Give them that option. It’s the right thing to do.”

Longtime resident Debbie Bailey, who helped craft and evaluate requests for proposals for the Modesto City Schools district before retiring, said RFPs typically have an objective scoring method and a subjective section. While Cipponeri’s firm might have scored well in some areas, it would not have passed the discretionary pick, she said. “They clearly do not measure up.”

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 12:30 AM with the headline "Turlock Council picks Cipponeri market, names city manager."