Charlotte Flea Market Will Reopen This Summer
by Nancy Wood,
May 25, 2011

After lengthy debate Monday evening, the Selectboard approved a one-year lease between the Town and Mary Conlin of Brandon for the 4-acre "Flea Market" site on Route 7.

Prior to the most recent tenants, Conlin had run the Flea Market for nine years until illness prevented her from continuing. She expects to open the market for business the weekend of June 3, after the lease is finalized and the site is cleaned up. In other action at the Monday meeting, the Selectboard accepted the proposal by James Kastner of Charlotte to clean up the site.

The Selectboard added a number of restrictions to the lease in an effort to avoid problems that occurred with the prior tenants. Sale of guns is prohibited, added to a list that has included alcoholic beverages, pornographic materials and illegal smoking materials and paraphernalia. Dogs, campers and ovenight camping will be specifically forbidden.

The Selectboard also denied a request by Conlin to keep the old outhouse to use as a storage shed, and said no to keeping a shelter frame and picnic tables on the site for the duration of the lease. Two portapottys will be allowed, at the back of the property out of sight of the road.

Vendors will be allowed to leave their equipment on the premises overnight Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday nights when there is a holiday on Monday. The hours of operation of the market are 4-8 p.m. on Fridays, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays with the understanding that Fridays are for set up only.

The Town agreed to improve the access to Route 7 for safety reasons. The board authorized Selectboard member John Owen to spend up to $1500 with Road Commissioner JR Lewis for the driveway improvement and to fill in the concrete collection tank of the old privy.

Conlin will pay $1,000 for the one-year rental, plus a security deposit of $500.

The final vote to approve the lease agreement was 4-1, with John Owen, Dennis Delaney, Winslow Ladue and Charles Russell in support and Ed Stone opposed.

The Town will pay Kastner $1300 to clean up the site, including all the old metal frames, tables, anchors, trash and loose brush, electrical panel and ports, and the wooden outhouse.

The lease allows the market to continue in operation until October 31, 2011. Conlin will advertise region-wide for both vendors and customers, and plans to have new signs made. Local residents interested in selling items at the market are welcome; the price for a spot is not yet set but may be around $15 per day depending on the amount of space needed. Conlin expects to be present during the hours the market is open, and can be located there to make arrangements to rent a space.