Fayette Main Street, Inc. has recently reorganized and elected new officers. Officers and directors are:  Pamela Huttsell, President, Robert Wiegers, Vice-President, John Flanders, Secretary, Janelle Malizia, Treasurer, Jeff Bramon, Frank Robert Flaspohler, Alan Hendrix, Kiersten O’Dell, R. C. Robb and Pat Roll.

A community meeting with the purpose of reinstituting and organizing the four committees of Main Street is planned for Monday, July 9, 7 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Hall.  

Fayette Main Street, Inc. was originally formed in 2000 as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization to promote economic strength and community pride for our courthouse square business/historic district. The program’s main purpose is to develop and implement a comprehensive historic preservation-based, economic development strategy for downtown Fayette.

The four committees are: organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.  These committees, which form the basis of the Main Street four point approach, coincidentally correspond with the four forces of real estate value, which are social, political, physical, and economic.  

The organization committee establishes consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups that have a stake in the commercial district. By getting everyone working toward the same goal, your Main Street program can provide effective, ongoing management and advocacy for the downtown business district.  

The promotion committee has the goal of creating a positive image that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in your commercial district. Advertising, retail promotions, special events, and marketing campaigns help sell the image and promise of Main Street to the community and surrounding region.  Promotions communicate your commercial district’s unique characteristics, business establishments, and activities to shoppers, investors, potential business and property owners, and visitors.

The design committee is responsible for getting your business district into top physical shape and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers, and visitors.  It takes advantage of the visual opportunities inherent in a commercial district by directing attention to all of its physical elements; public and private buildings, storefronts, signs, public spaces, parking areas, street furniture, public art, landscaping, merchandising, window displays, and promotional materials. Design activities also include instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the district’s physical appearance through the rehabilitation of historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, educating business and property owners about design quality, and long-term planning.

The economic restructuring committee works to strengthen the community’s existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base.  This is accomplished by retaining and expanding successful businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix, sharpening the competitiveness and merchandising skills of business owners, and attracting new businesses that the market can support. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district. The goal is to build a commercial district that responds to the needs of today’s consumers.

To read and learn more about the Main Street Approach, see www.momainstreet.org and www.preservationnation.org/main-street.

For more information, please contact Pam Huttsell at 660-248-3881, or huttsell@sbcglobal.net or any other member of the Board of Directors. Anyone interested in revitalizing Fayette’s historic downtown business district is welcome to attend and participate in the work of one of the committees.