OUR COMMITTEES

The Design Committee engages in actively improving the downtown’s image in accordance with the City’s design guidelines by enhancing physical appearance.

Tasks include:

• Promoting an attractive, coordinated and quality image of the downtow.
• Acting as a design resource for property owners relating to façade improvements
• Working with the marketing committee to ensure a consistent high-quality image in signs, advertisements and other graphic materials
• Establish a sound working relationship with local design and construction professionals
• Mapping out existing property owners in the downtown district
• Working with the economic restructuring committee to plan, implement and administer appropriate incentives to encourage property development activity
• Allocating funds for design improvement activities with the Main Street program’s annual work plan and budget

Committee members include architects, landscapers, interior designers, graphic artists, sign painters, contractors, artists and citizens interested in good design.

The Economic Restructuring Committee works to strengthen and diversify the existing economic base of the downtown. Economic restructuring activities include helping existing downtown businesses expand, recruiting new businesses to provide a balanced mix, converting unused space into productive property, and sharpening the competitiveness of downtown merchants by:

• Developing business assistance teams, identification of downtown market opportunities, dissemination of relevant information to existing and potential businesses
• Directing activities related to downtown commercial and real estate development

Committee members include urban planners, developers, real estate professionals, city council members, officers of financial institutions, merchants, property owners attorneys.

The Organization Management Committee builds consensus and cooperation among the groups that play roles in the downtown, i.e. bankers, property owners, city and county officials, merchants, downtown residents, professionals, chamber of commerce representatives, local industries, civic groups, historical societies, schools, consumers, real estate agents, and local media.

Membership and Development (Outreach)

• Encourages people to join and finds a place where they will be happy and productive
• Monitors skills and talent of existing members, sets goals--with the board—for the number of new members to be recruited each year
• Plans and conducts annual fund-raising activities for the Main Street program and ensures that adequate funding is available at all times. Board to work closely with this group to establish a plan, i.e. fund raising goals and a realistic timetable

The Public Arts Committee reflects the community, works to enhance image, builds alliances, attracts and unites a diversity of people, and beautifies the environment. Tasks include assisting the City in crafting a Public Arts Ordinance and to gather artist that can help the City with the selection and placement of public art.

The Promotion Committee creates a positive image of the downtown through special events, retail promotional activity and ongoing programs to build positive perceptions of the district.

Activities include:

• Direct retail promotions, traffic-building activity, image improvement for the downtown, establish liaisons and develop joint promotional strategies with existing organizations, work toward building new sources of funding for a portion of the program’s total annual promotional budget, build a strong network of volunteers to help implement promotional programs
• Establish good working relationships with community organizations, charities, school clubs and other groups who might participate in promotional activities

Members to include everyone who likes to have fun.

The Marketing Committee's primary responsibility is to define the marketable image of downtown and to ensure continuity of that image in all downtown promotional programs. To this end the committee monitors community and consumer perception of the downtown and seeks to reverse negative attitudes while building on positive ones.

Committee members to include Marketing and Advertising professionals, graphic artists and retailers, Committee members include artists and professionals envisioning the development of public art city-wide.