CCEDC DIRECTOR HOPES FOR EXPANDED MAINSTREET PROGRAM
Monday, October 31st, 2005 -- 9:42 AM
Clark County?s downtowns could be a major draw in ten years, according to Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Sheila Nyberg.She is pushing legislation that might revolutionize how rural counties approach downtown revitalization.
Clark County is already registered with the national ?Mainstreet Center?, but no communities are enrolled in the state?s popular ?Mainstreet Program?, which provides consultation to help reinvigorate city centers.
Nyberg, formerly the director of Marshfield?s Mainstreet program, says smaller cities and villages struggle to justify the $40,000 to $60,000 annual investment it takes to run such a program. She?s been working with state legislators to draft a bill that would allow counties to apply, spreading the cost among many communities.
"(Clark County) would like to be a appointed as a pilot program." Nyberg says. "We'd work from the bottom up with the state to show them how a county-wide one could work."
She?s hopeful the bill will get a hearing soon, saying around a dozen members of the Assembly and the Senate have already shown their support. She believes the Mainstreet Program is just what area cities and villages need to take their downtown districts to the ?next level? ? bringing tourists in to the area so they don?t need to rely strictly on local business.
"What I witnessed in other towns, they have all taken it on and said 'we have a beautiful building stock - let's make this a destination point'," Nyberg says. "Putting that blend together in our downtowns in Clark County is absolutely what needs to happen."
The United Communities of Clark County group has already made official their support for the idea and the County Board is expected to take up a resolution of support at a future meeting.
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