Latest Farmers Market Manager Fired After 5 Weeks

Bret Nighman, the latest Studio City Farmers Market manager, was let go as the market manager after five weeks.

A member of the Farmers Market Board of Directors and executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce Esther Walker, said late Thursday that she could not comment on the specifics of the change, but said, "There is no replacement at this time, and nothing will change" as far as the Farmers Market goes. "The vendors are happy and fine," she added.

This is the third manager at the popular market since March 2011 when the longtime manager Carole Gallegos was axed for one of the board members and lawyer Melody Dosch, whose family owns the local restaurant Artisan Cheese Gallery.

This farmers market is a non-profit corporation co-run by the Studio City Residents Association and the Studio City Chamber of Commerce. In the 2010 tax statements of the Studio City Farmers Market, the unpaid board consisted of Melody Dosch, Beth Dymond and Art Howard. The Farmers Market revenues totaled $271,946 and total expenses totaled $280,806. Those were the latest filings on GuideStar.

Walker said she ran the market during the interim when Dosch left and Nighman was hired.

Nighman said, "I was shockingly fired today" by Walker and the board and he added, "They refused to give me any reason. I asked them what I had done wrong and they replied, 'It's just not working out for us.'" 

The new manager said he was not told about any performance issues, and said, "I loved this position, thought I was doing a great job."

He said he had worked long hours and always received positive feedback.

Walker said there would be no further comment from the board.