Downtown Revitalization Board
Recommends Adoption of Main
Street Plan, Tuesday Night

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

A 7:00 p.m. meeting of the Downtown Revitalization Board, Tuesday night, in the City Council Chambers, found the board accepting and recommending adoption of the Ian Lockwood Plan for the revitalization of Main Street. The board approved the plan for recommendation to the City Council, in a process that lays the ground work for the plan to be implemented with a vote by the council. "I think this is the best plan for Main Street," expressed City Manager Marc Maxwell, as he outlined the plan. "Lockwood and his associate took into consideration the needs of the area and drew a plan that will complement the entire downtown area."

Maxwell also outlined a "Tax Increment Re-Investment Plan" to the Revitalization Board and those present at Tuesday night's meeting. The plan calls for no additional taxes, where monies are captured due to property value increases being "earmarked" and returned to the area in the form of improvements. "It lets your improvements to the downtown area, fuel the monies for future improvements instead of being used in the General Fund," expressed Maxwell. "The money will provide 'seed' money in the downtown area, to get projects started and to promote private investment."

 

 

Maxwell indicated that in most projects, such as the proposed downtown revitalization in Sulphur Springs, that when the actual monies were analyzed, usually the ratio of public money to private investment, reflected eight dollars of private investment to each one dollar of public money spent.

 

 

The Veteran's Memorial Organization was present at Tuesday night's Downtown Revitalization Board Meeting, to voice their disapproval of some of the Lockwood ideas for the Downtown Square area. Maxwell indicated that the plan was not "written in stone" and just reflected ideas for everyone to consider as the Downtown Square area will be addressed at a later date, as work continues on the entire Downtown area.

 

Several who attended Tuesday night's meeting indicated that they hoped that everyone would continue to work together, to make certain that the entire Downtown area becomes something that is of benefit for everyone. "No one group should 'dominate' the plans for the Downtown area," expressed one source. "Everyone must work together for the benefit of our community and all of the citizens in Hopkins County!"

Maxwell indicated that if everything works according to schedule, the Main Street project should begin construction with a target date of January 2008.

 

______