Hope that the Greenbank Farm Management Group could continue some kind of advisory role over the farm came to an end Monday night.
After outgoing Port of Coupeville commissioners Marshall Bronson and John Carr voted last month to cease negotiations with the nonprofit group, lone opposing commissioner Mike Diamanti had hoped to change things around.
Diamanti said he had planned to raise a motion at Wednesday’s port meeting to reinstate negotiations, which would continue a contract with the management group on Jan. 1. If that motion was not passed, he said he had hoped to get incoming commissioner John Mishasek, who takes office in November, to change the decision in an 11th hour move.
“I said I would soldier on, but I’m only one, against two,” Diamanti said. “I believe the management group has the experience and skill set to manage the farm.”
However, during a public meeting Monday night, the management group said they’re done.
“The unfolding of events over the last month has led us to conclude that there is no longer any useful purpose in us pursuing management of the farm,” said Judy Feldman, executive director for the management group, who was reading from a letter that was sent to the port Monday. “Therefore, to remove any uncertainty on the part of the community or the port, please regard this letter as formal notification that we no longer wish to be considered in any management role at the farm, either through reconsideration of our proposal by the sitting commissioners or through action by new commissioners later this year.
“Public discussion should now focus on the port’s plans for the farm.”
While the nonprofit management group will no longer play an advisory role in the farm after Dec. 31, it continues to lease agricultural land at the farm until March 31, 2017 for the Organic Farm School. The management group does not pay anything to the port for the leased land, per a previous agreement.
Tenant unrest
Directors of the management group were present at the meeting to answer questions, which ranged from the nonprofit’s finances, port contributions to the farm, what will happen to current tenants and further hopeful questions about what it would take to get the management group to reconsider.
“The tenants really want to make this work,” Feldman said. “Their lifeblood is in this farm. It’s important for current tenants to feel your support right now.”
Jan Gunn, who owns Whidbey Pies Cafe, one of the farm’s most successful businesses, asked how the port was going to manage the farm and run weddings and other events.
To emphasize how important events at the farm are to tenants, Feldman said the weekend of July 25, when the farm hosted the Renaissance Festival Saturday and Bounce Mania Sunday, Whidbey Pies Cafe did 30 percent more business than the weekend before.
“It’s just so inconceivable this has happened,” Gunn said, referring to the situation with the port.
Others tenants are concerned about tenant leases, which currently reside month-to-month with the management group due to the ongoing management contract extensions and negotiations.
“This is a pretty emotional meeting for someone whose life depends on the farm,” said Windwalker Taibi, owner of Raven Rocks Gallery. “I want it to be fair. I want the port to profit from us because this really is one community. Come Jan. 1, are we month-to-month with the port or are we just floating in the wind?”
The port is planning to start lease negotiations this year. Interim Commissioner John Carr, who is a retired real estate agent, was recruited by Bronson because of his knowledge of the subject.
Incoming commissioner Mishasek attended the meeting and says he has been talking to all parties involved in the issues around farm management, trying to learn as much as possible.
“I find myself down the middle of the road,” Mishasek said. “I have worked with the (management group) board to pitch ideas with the management group and I’m still open to that. I’d like to find a way to have (the management group) stay. I’d like to see all of the tenants stay.”
Port’s plan?
The management group raises about $50,000 annually in donations to offset the cost of farm operations, in addition to the roughly $90,000 it collects from tenants and the almost $50,000 fee the port pays.
The management groups’ overall gross revenue is about $460,00.
“We’ve emphasized a lot of community engagement because we think it’s important to the farm,” Feldman said. “That costs, and we’ve been able to fund that level of community involvement.”
Feldman said it is unknown how port finances will cover the cost of the farm because it depends on how commissioners decide to run the farm.
The port has not publicly discussed plans on how it will manage the farm and where it will emphasize its goals and cash flow. Decisions made by the port must be made during a public meeting and the port only meets once a month.
Two out of three commissioners — Diamanti and Bronson — were present for the meeting Monday, but neither participated in the discussion. Both stayed quiet during the meeting because their presence created a quorum of the port board.
Bronson did say Tuesday he found the tone of the meeting interesting as it was a meeting facilitated by the management group and well attended by farm supporters.
The August port meeting was scheduled for Wednesday morning, after press deadline.
“The Greenbank Farm Management Group is a nonprofit,” Bronson said. “They can meet when they want and discuss what they want. We are restricted to meetings. We can’t be as responsive as they’d want.”
Community member Gary Wray asked many questions, including about the management group’s overhead costs.
Management group treasurer Steve Holmberg said the annual payroll for staff is about $217,000, including the cost for employees at the farm school and wine shop. Payroll for just management group administration is a little more than $100,000.
Wray said he was trying to bring some balance to the meeting, which was heavily in favor of the management group. He said there are people who support the port’s decision, they just aren’t being vocal about it.
“I know all three commissioners,” said Wray. “They’re all good people and they’re just looking out for our tax dollars.”
‘This is the end’
Despite two hours of discussion saying the management group was done, community members were still trying to rally with hope the group could stay.
Community member Gwen Samuelson asked about transferring the group’s nonprofit status to others interested in being involved in the hope newly elected commissioners could turn things around at the end of the year.
“We can’t wait that long,” said Mike Stansbury, president of the management group. “We have staff to think about. We’re at the point of being dismantled. This is the end.”
Stansbury said they’ve spent nine months negotiating with the port and it doesn’t appear to have found a solution and in the process conflict and damage have been created.
“Part of our decision grows because it appears we are a part of the controversy,” Stansbury said. “We’re stepping out because we think our absence will be better for the farm.”
