The Columbia Market House has been without a manager since borough council fired Renae Sears late in 2009.While its possible, a new market manager might be hired in the near future, it hasn’t stopped residents questioning the market’s activities.
“I can’t believe when I go to the market how empty the stands are,” said Shirley McBride, resident.
She said she was surprised recently to see three stand holders advertising specials in a local publication.
“I was so upset with the empty stands,” she said. “I know there are three or four people out there qho want to see it close.”
“Market was a good place to go. The Amish people in there are just barely hanging on. We need to get people in there who know the market and get its going. Running a market is not a part-time job,” McBride said.
She would like to see more stands fill the market and “make it a nice place to go and sit and talk.”
“It’s terrible in there, something is not kosher. We need someone to take control of the market and get it back to where it was last year,” McBride said.
Councilmen Kelly Murphy, chairman of council’s market committee, said there are a lot of plans under way for the market, once renovations are complete.
“The Amish people tell me they are doing well and we should have a manager very shortly,” he said.
“We are in a transition and we have no intentions of letting it fail,” Murphy said.
Former manager Sears, who is now a member of the council said advertising was costly and there was very little money available to do that.
Murphy said the stand holders are raising money for advertising.
“If you want it to work, everyone needs to support it,” Murphy saiid.
Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said that until the renovations are complete, there’s no need to promote the market.
“We want to make sure people have a positive experience when they come here,” Meiskey said.
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