3 Past Chamber Presidents Condemn Firing of Farmers Market Manager

Three former presidents of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce spoke at the Studio City Neighborhood Council meeting Wednesday night praising the work of the Farmers Market manager who was f that runs it.

Carole Gallegos, who managed the Studio City Farmers Market for seven years, also spoke to the council and explained how the revenues increased by 300 percent during her tenure, and won awards.

She said, “I would like to come back” as manager of the market.

On March 17, she said she was “forced to resign” and Melody Dosch, who was one of two members of the Studio City Farmers Market Board, took over as the manager of the market 

The Studio City Farmers Market Board is run equally by the Studio City Residents Association and the Studio City Chamber of Commerce which both share proceeds as a private, non-profit organization.

Neighborhood Council President John Walker said he looked into whether the council could take any action, but told the board before the public comment that “we can't act on it."

However, past Studio City Chamber of Commerce president Joe Goodman suggested that the council consider a resolution of support or some other gesture for Gallegos.

Past president Jack McGrath, who also served while Gallegos was the manager, said he thought she did a good job and should be thanked rather than fired for improving the farmers market.

Bruce Neckels, who also served on the board, and was a Chamber of Commerce president, said he was surprised about why Gallegos wasn’t given a chance to “change directions” along with the way the board wanted it to change.

Others speaking at the meeting included Gallegos’s husband Steve, also a longtime volunteer for the market, and her longtime friend Debra Price, who said she was concerned about the quality of the market going down.

No one spoke on behalf of the market board or the Chamber of Commerce, although Studio City Residents Association president Alan Dymond was in the audience.

(For sections of their public comments, see the video above.)