Ron Redmond is stepping down after more than 20 years running the Church Street Marketplace.
In a press release Friday, Mayor Miro Weinberger said Redmond helped the Marketplace become “one of the Northeast’s great urban places.”
“I am grateful for Ron’s service to the City and the Church Street Marketplace, helping to grow and strengthen the Marketplace as a downtown destination for residents and visitors,” Weinberger said.
Redmond has served as Marketplace executive director since December 1998. Created in 1981, the Marketplace is technically a city department that oversees the Marketplace Business District, which draws more than 3 million visitors each year. Redmond’s office is in charge of licenses and permits, marketing, and capital projects.
“Serving the City and the Marketplace for over two decades has been a privilege,” Redmond said in Friday’s release. “Burlington’s downtown will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am looking forward to taking on new challenges.”
The release did not mention Redmond’s future plans and he did not immediately return a request for comment.
Voters recently considered a measure that would have drastically changed the Marketplace. This past Town Meeting Day, residents rejected a ballot item that would have replaced the Church Street Marketplace Commission — a group of nine City Council appointees that set policies for the shopping district — with a nonprofit organization.
Business owners had complained that they don’t have enough control over decisions affecting the street. Had it passed, businesses adjacent to Church Street, in an area known as the downtown improvement district, would have paid fees for certain services made available to those already on the Marketplace.
In the press release, Marketplace commission chair Jeff Nick said Redmond “shepherded the Marketplace through a changing and challenging retail environment.”
“While the Commission is sad to see Ron go, we wish him well in his future endeavors,” Nick said.
Redmond will serve as executive director until December 1 “to ensure a smooth transition to a new director,” the city press release said. The mayor will appoint Redmond’s successor.
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Hi Patrick,
Well, I’m just not Hot about the mural. My complaint was to point out that it did not include George Aiken, a far more important Vermonter than many of those displayed. It’s not my type of mural – it’s glib, shallow, and not well thought out. I’m glad it’s in an alley. I’d rather put energy into finding homes for the homeless.
So no condemnation of Lea’s hateful attacks?
I appreciate it.
It’s a beautiful day, and we’ve really so little fight about. I wish RON’s successor (and the new CEDO Director too) much luck.
I take back my smart remark
Apologies – there’s something in my brain that reverses things. I reach for Ron and get Don. Did it twice now. Nothing personal – my flaw/fault. My bad. Let’s move on.
Hey there Dr. Know,
If you ever leave another nasty comment about my comments again, I will figuratively punch you in the nose. Assume That.
Even the second time, after being corrected and after acknowledging that you got Ron Redmond*s name wrong, you got it wrong yet again. Care to try for three times?
Patrick,
My apologies – I got his name wrong. You’re right. It’s Don.
There are a few other things in your comment I’m not so sure about. What’s wrong with being civil? I agree that people on both sides of an issue can get excited and blustery, but I don’t want to.
I’d rather we comment on the article.
I had no intention of “parenting” you. I’m pretty sure you have no intention of parenting me. I don’t agree with Everything Lea or you say – hell, I don’t even agree with everything I’ve said.
Feel free to insult anyone you like, till the cows come home. Hope you feel better having done so.
Charlie,
Do spare me your attempts at parenting me, I’m good. Lea has, and continues to bang her drum for her ludicrous opinions, makes outlandish claims against others, and endorses the destruction of private property based on her unhinged opinions. Neither I, nor anyone else, is under any obligation to treat her with anything more than the barest minimum the rules of this platform require, nor are we required to pretend her opinions are sane, or that she is a decent person. Nor are you. Part of growing up is realizing that not all opinions have value, there are not always good people on each side of an issue, and just because somebody really, really believes something is true does not immediately make it true. It is odd, though, that if you feel so strongly about civility in the comment streams you only pipe up now. Perhaps you haven’t seen Lea’s descriptions of others as racist, white supremacists, on the take, duplicitous, weak willed, militaristic, etc. etc. etc.Now that youve been made aware of her comments, I eagerly await you peremptory waving of your finger and tsk, tsk, tsk in her direction.
By the way, it’s “Ron”, not “Don”.
Best of luck to Ron and to his successor who will have to face many challenges and not many options. My concern with the Marketplace is there is nowhere to go in terms of growth, except upwards. There is no “attraction” to further bring in additional tourism which helps reduce taxes for residents, other than the open air feature, events and ala carte dining, surrounded by retail, which has remained the same formula since its inception. The proposed City Center doesn’t change that formula except to possibly offer expanded retail (at higher rental price per square footage, you can be sure).