Editor’s note: Victoria Laise Jonas is deputy mayor of the city of Maple Valley, but she is writing this letter as a private citizen.

As the third season of the Maple Valley Farmers Market nears, it seems a good time to reflect on the success of the first two seasons.

In fact, it seems that the farmers market has integrated so well into our community that it’s a challenge to think of summer Saturday mornings without the farmers’ market.  The community has truly discovered the social benefits of our farmers market.

The Tahoma School District has been a major partner of the farmers market from the beginning. While the school district provides no funding for the market, it does allow the market to use its school grounds and parking lot.

The school district administration has a strong belief that our schools belong to the taxpayers and community.  In fact, most of the district’s playfields and buildings are in constant use outside of the school day.

As more students enroll in the Tahoma School District and schools become over-crowded, the community’s use of the school sites may become more difficult to schedule, especially, if our school district must move to year-round school or double-shifting.  That would surely impact all community sports teams.

While that may not jeopardize the farmers market schedule, the Maple Valley Farmers Market Board of Directors recognizes the important challenges of the Tahoma School District to meet the needs of its students and families.

As the Tahoma School District has supported the Maple Valley Farmers Market, the farmers market board, in turn, supports the school district and its crucial construction bond measure.

Community is important to both the Maple Valley Farmers Market and the Tahoma School District.  This is the time for all of us to join together in support of our school district to vote in favor of the construction bond on April 26.

Victoria Laise Jonas

Deputy mayor

Co-Founder and president

Maple Valley Farmers Market