Pictured is the Marquette Food Co-op, in downtown Marquette. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — On Monday, the Marquette Food Co-op announced that it will be enforcing existing store policies regarding people’s behavior in and around the store.

In a statement published in the MFC’s news feed titled “It’s Complicated,” General Manager Matt Gougeon laid out the thoughts behind the enforcement, as well as how it will manifest for customers / visitors.

“The number of panhandlers has increased, not because we necessarily allow them, but because panhandling is lucrative near our parking lot exit as some Co-op shoppers are generous,” said Gougeon. “Loitering in the café and exterior Co-op property (behind our kitchen and receiving bay area, benches on Washington St.) has increased as we are rightfully seen as a warm and accepting place. This also leads to an increase in smoking and drinking on Co-op property.

“Shoplifting is on the uptick but is certainly not isolated to the homeless folks although they, at times, perpetrate a quick grab. Regular shoppers also steal. Sometimes as much as hundreds of dollars of products at a time.”

Gougeon expressed a statement of support to Room at the Inn, calling those who work there “heroes.”

“Some of what I outline here will be specific to our homeless neighbors and those in the orbit of the Room at the Inn Warming Center and Emergency Shelter,” said Gougeon. “Other statements and measures will include everyone.”

His statement comes after some co-op staff expressed that they felt “under siege” in relation to people’s behavior in and around the store.

“Unfortunately, the Co-op also serves as downtown Marquette’s de facto public bathroom,” continued Gougeon’s statement. “While we’re happy to provide clean, comfortable bathrooms, take a moment and imagine all the ways a private locked space may be used by a person, or people, and the types of bodily fluids, paraphernalia, and trash that get left behind.

“This creates a health hazard to clean up, relegated to Co-op staff. Again, excessive or misuse of our bathrooms is not consigned to only our homeless neighbors. Not by a long shot.”

MFC worked with RATI, the Marquette Police Department, a private security firm, local contractors and the Community Foundation of Marquette County to develop a plan to enforce existing store policies. In his statement, Gougeon laid out these enforcement strategies as follows:

– Installing signage around the store which prohibits soliciting, loitering, smoking, drinking and unacceptable bicycle parking

– Installing a locked fence and gate with an additional security light behind the kitchen and near dumpsters

– Coordinating with RATI, who will communicate MFC policies to Marquette shelter populations through meetings and street outreach efforts

– Empowering staff to call the police to request orders of trespass, instead of mitigating situations themselves. MPD has prepared for an increase in calls

– Hiring short-term security to aid in monitoring the store and liaise with MPD

In addition to these new enforcement policies, MFC has announced that they are working with the Community Foundation of Marquette County to provide seed money for an endowment fund named the Room at the Inn Designated Fund

“To be clear, we care about our homeless neighbors, and we especially care about the staff and volunteers of RATI and whether they have the financial resources available to them to provide for the care and assistance of their clients,” said Gougeon. “This fund will serve in that purpose, and we are proud to make the initial deposit.

“In the end, we are focused on making shopping and participation in the Marquette Food Co-op a pleasant, safe, and equitable experience for members, staff, and other shoppers. To do that, we sometimes must enforce our rules of engagement a little more obviously.”

Gougeon’s full statement is available at https://www.marquettefood.coop/news/its-complicated?fbclid=IwY2xjawS557tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFDY3lWejFZdHBPZjl0Z3JWc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmXz4ceAweBY-yHBiSpwa7BAKUIzOAjJmmEZAly7jqKwstnKQVjepBdXmSuX_aem_kfrzr3r0flKRDe3C3S1Stg.

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.