SWAMPSCOTT — Dina Maietta, a 27-year town resident, and her fiance, Ricky Prezioso, say they are tired of being treated unfairly at the Swampscott Farmers Market, where they have been vendors for the past five years.
The couple, who runs Cannoli Corner and More at the market, claims the town’s recreation director, Danielle Strauss has been unfairly charging them up to six times more than the other vendors, and that they have been bullied for years. Maietta and Prezioso claim that Strauss has also shown favoritism to other similar coffee vendors.
The pair aired their grievances at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Wednesday night. Strauss was not present to respond to the accusations and could not be reached for comment after the meeting.
“I love our town,” Maietta said to the selectmen. “We are here tonight, not because we want to be, but because we need to make you aware of the unethical behavior that has been transpiring for the past five years regarding the Farmers Market, Strawberry Festival, the Fourth of July festival, and car shows.
“We have been bullied for many years now, and we have had to keep our mouths shut in order to run our business here in Swampscott. We have been taken advantage of, specifically having been charged a mandatory cash donation as well as being charged up to six times more than any other vendors for these events. Some vendors were never asked to pay this mandatory donation and to make matters worse, many weren’t even charged a Farmers Market fee.”
In an apology letter from Town Hall, which was signed by Strauss and was provided to The Item by Maietta and Prezioso, Strauss acknowledged the couple’s concerns.
“I realize this has been a difficult issue and that you have felt you have not been treated fairly for the five years you have been a vendor at the Farmers Market,” Strauss wrote. “Please know that we are a growing market and I will admit and apologize that we have made some policy and procedure choices that may have unfairly affected your business and the way you feel about me and the Farmers Market.
“Unfortunately, we did not meet your — or my own — expectations. Upon thorough review of the situation, I am in full agreement that we need to make some changes to the Farmers Market lease agreement that would help provide consistency and fairness for all vendors. It is my sincere hope that you accept this earnest apology and that you will work with me to help make positive change.”
But Maietta says the matter has gone on too long — the couple has been meeting with town officials since July, and started contacting Town Hall last year. She told the selectmen that the recreation director never apologized to her during one two-hour meeting and said that she and her fiance should get their money back with interest, Strauss’ position with the town should be terminated, and that she’s contacted the state ethics commission and district attorney’s office.
Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said the town has “spent a considerable amount of time looking into this” and that when “we get formal complaints, we do investigate issues of employee performance or concerns from residents.
“Unfortunately, there’s years worth of complaints,” Fitzgerald said. “We have years worth of receipts that would take a considerable amount of time for us to really look through. Under Massachusetts general laws, we have responsibilities to protect the taxpayers and to really itemize the costs.
“I have recognized there are procedures and policies that can be enhanced and updated and practices that would help us better manage (and) coordinate the Farmers Market. This market has emerged over the past five years and has gotten busier and busier and there are complexities in terms of how to manage that … I disagree with a number of the statements that have been presented here tonight, but I certainly would not shy away from looking into issues that protect folks’ integrity.”
Maietta said she questioned the donation they were charged over the years, which added up to more than $600 over five years, but was allegedly instead told by Strauss to “never question what is asked of us.” In addition, she said there’s supposed to be a “do not compete” at the Farmers Market among vendors, and the couple was the initial coffee vendor. Since then, she said two more coffee vendors have been added.
Maietta said the saga started about five years ago when she asked Strauss if Cannoli and More could be featured at the town’s annual car show and was told that there wasn’t going to be food.
But several months later, when the couple was a vendor at the Strawberry Festival, Maietta said a sausage vendor asked why they weren’t at the car show, and told them that he was allowed to be a vendor after paying $300 in cash. She said she questioned Strauss about it and it didn’t go well, claiming that led to a frosty relationship going forward.
“This ongoing situation has caused us both emotional and financial harm,” Maietta said.
