Former farmers market manager returns

The Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market, now under vendor control, has created a board of directors and has hired a familiar face as its market manager.

Phil Pagano, a vendor who had previously managed the market for about two years, will once again fill that role. His first market day will be Saturday, Dec. 5.

The Downtown Partnership, which ran market the City Commission handed control to the vendors in September, fired Pagano last spring because it said he failed to collect rent from some vendors and was behind on his own rent.

The move caused a rift between the Partnership and the vendors, because Pagano had a lot of support among the vendors. He still has that support.

“It makes me feel great,” Pagano said.

The Farmers Market board members include 10 vendors: Chris Worden, of Worden Farms; Greg Roy, of Natures Way; Karl Nelson, of Greenleaf Cheese; Alan Toy, of Imagine Glass; Christine Nordstrom, of Wired Whisk Bakehouse; Tim Brown, of Browns Grove; Alan Howse, of Awesome Orchids; Maggie Balch, of Maggie’s Seafood; Terry Hart, of Word Wood; and Brian Glassmoyer, of Sarasota Candle.

The three non-vendor board members are restaurateur Paul Mattison, market customer Kate Nierenberg and Richard Martin, former mayor and current executive director of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].