(Brian Meyer – Bufalo News) The Broadway Market is facing a management shake-up as it prepares to move into its second-busiest time of the year.
The man who was hired a year ago to try to engineer a turnaround for the struggling city-owned market told officials he’s no longer interested in being reappointed to the job.
Thomas A. Kerr was among three finalists being considered for the $65,000-a-year job. Kerr had been spotted packing up his belongings in recent weeks, and the city’s top planner disclosed today that Kerr is no longer operating the East Side retail icon. Brendan R. Mehaffy said the market is being supervised on an interim basis by three city staffers who are sharing an array of responsibilities.
Kerr could not be reached to comment, and Mehaffy refused to divulge why the former market manager is no longer a candidate for the job.
“It’s personnel stuff, and I’m not going to get into it,” Mehaffy said.
Kerr’s year-long tenure won praise in some arenas, and criticism in others. His admirers credited him for experimenting with some different concepts to try to bring more people to the market. For example, he was instrumental in setting up rooftop gardens on the top deck of the market’s parking ramp. Urban agriculture buffs eagerly claimed more than 70 raised beds.
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What is this all about? With all the positive press the the broadway market has been receiving over the last, why is the manager leaving?
The Buffalo News story was light on details. The last thing the Broadway Market needs is more bad news.
Sad to say it, but it is time to call it a day for this place.
There has to be something more going on here. Doesn’t it seem like there are always these types of problems with the Broadway Market?
“Mehaffy refused to disclose how many applicants remain on the city’s short list of contenders. However, some sources close to the search process said one finalist is Erwin Rakoczy, a Clarence businessman who is credited with helping to found or strengthen several local farmers’ markets. Rakoczy has also been active in a task force that has helped to steer market operations.
Common Council President David A. Franczyk represents the Fillmore neighborhood where the market is located. He said he’s prepared to recommend to Mayor Byron W. Brown that the city hire Rakoczy for the job.
“We need a food-oriented, event-oriented market,” Franczyk said today. “I think that’s what Erwin Rakoczy will bring, and I support him unequivocally.””
Erwin Rakoczy was a good friend of Davide Franczyk’s no wonder he supports him unequvicoally. Not a a betting person, I bet Rakoczy ain’t qualified to take the job.
Another example of politicians rewarding their friends. The friends and family plan!
Instead of trying to help the Market, Franczyk is only looking out for himself and his friends. I think it is time the city hires someone who will really do something for the market and will also help the neighborhood. Franczyk should be voted out of the council next time because he does nothing and just look at his district of the city, the worse looking of all districts in the city. Friends and family are all he and other politicians think about.
The Broadway Market would be viewed as an asset if located in a similar neighborhood elsewhere such as the Findlay Market in Cincinnati, it would be viewed as not just a neighborhood asset but a regional asset. The Market is a unique institution under appreciated. Remarkably it continues to draw 200,000 plus visitors each year at Easter. The management issue while important moves the discussion into irrelevant, short-sighted issues.
The city although not at fault for its years of ignoring capital investment into the structure it owned now is faced with not just acting as a landlord but overseeing the market operations. As the city officials struggled to come up with a strategy for its new roles, it obviously made a lot of missteps. Now, hopefully, city can take advantage of the new opportunity to reflect on its learning curve issues and start thinking strategically about the future of the market.
And, there is a lot of opinions out there as to how the city should proceed forward. The city clearly needs to deal quickly with a short-term operation issue, but it needs to really examine closely the long-term management issues. And, there is not shortage of opinions as to what the long-term should be.
As long as the surrounding neighborhood remains in its current state, the market will never be more than what it currently is.