(11/15) Former Main Street Manager and current Economics Director Jay Meashey introduced a list of 21 recommendations regarding the future of the Main Street Program to the City Council in November. The list was created by Meashey and City Manager Jim Wieprecht, with Wieprecht describing the endeavor as one where, "We proceeded with the assumption that Main Street Taneytown as an organization would grow and flourish to potentially one day achieve standalone status as its own 501c3 with diverse and robust funding sources."
Meashey said they reviewed the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) suggested format for the Main Street Program as well as staff surveys, conversations with Main Street business owners and examples from other Main Street Towns, including Berlin, Frostburg, Middletown and Havre De Grace, because those Towns have similar characteristics as Taneytown.
The survey was sent to 25 businesses in the Main Street district and, according to Meashey, 22 were opened, 3 were unopened and 14 were clicked through but not completed, with 10 overall being completed. The intention of the survey was to create a starting point designed to understand where local businesses felt they were and where they wished to go.
To format the recommendations, staff utilized the annual "Letter of Agreement" that DHCD has implemented to guide the Main Street Program. Meashey described the first four recommendations as straightforward and directly responding to the Letter of Agreement model.
The first recommendation states for an ordinance to be adopted in the City’s Code, it needs to explicitly outline the relationship between the Main Street Program and the City. The recommendation also allows for any changes to board membership and other critical components to be made by resolution to save time and money in the process.
Recommendation two allows the Council to appropriate operating funds for Main Street in the annual budgeting process. The third recommendation asks the Council to review the Letter of Agreement annually and evaluate the City’s commitment to meeting the standards and the suitability of the Main Street Board to meet those standards.
Recommendation four asks for the mayor and board chair to both sign the Letter of Agreement, even though the mayor’s signature is the only one required. The addition to this recommendation was based on the belief that, "We think that including the Board and Committees in the Letter of Agreement signing keeps the agreement and the relationship with DHCD high on their list of priorities," explained Meashey.
According to Meashey, recommendation five is when the evidence from City staff’s research and discussion points for the Council really begin to matter. Number five encourages the Council to enhance the historic preservation tools at the City and the Main Street Board’s disposal. "At its core, the Program is about preserving historic places through successful economic development," said Meashey. Half of the survey respondents voted historic preservation as their top priority, with emphasis on improving the appearance of the downtown area and promoting tourism.
Recommendation six suggests creating subcommittees that are managed by the Main Street Board. Previously, the Board had six subcommittees: design, promotion, economic vitality, organization, arts and entertainment, and clean-green and safe. The same subcommittees may be used or new ones may be created. According to Meashey, results from the surveys showed that 88% of business owners would be willing to participate in a committee. He also encouraged the Council to consider the focus of each committee.
Number seven further ensures that each committee understand their responsibilities by outlining their responsibilities and considering their long-term and short-term objectives. Meashey pointed out that DHCD encourages 80% of the Main Street framework be in place before the City hands control over to the Board, making this recommendation extremely important.
The eighth recommendation expands the Main Street map to Westview Drive from Riffles Lane to the railroad tracks and moves the boundary inward onto West Baltimore up to Church Street. Meashey explained that these "missteps" were recognized when the Main Street designation was originally created as goals for the previous board. Doing so would allow two longtime locally owned businesses the benefits and support of being Main Street businesses. Mayor Pro Tem James McCarron and Councilman Christopher Tillman agreed that this expansion should be a priority; however, Tillman had personal issues with expanding it the whole way into Church Street.
Number nine evaluates ways to improve pedestrian experiences within the Main Street map. Walkability is a large component of a historic district and improving it can allow "spill over shopping and dining" from those visiting the area for a single destination. This includes benches, trees for shade, and artwork to promote the concept of staying awhile and enjoying what the area has to offer.
Recommendation ten establishes a local community identity that can be used as a guide to plan projects and activities. This recommendation can benefit from the City’s Comprehensive Plan Survey to identify what residents want to see from their city, thus allowing the Main Street Project to develop itself in a way that pleases the community.
Recommendation 11 expands on the first recommendation to codify the program via ordinance, and recommendation 12 expands on recommendation number two concerning how funding would be found and utilized.
Number 13 explores revenue sources, specifically from county hotel tax and short-term rentals. Taneytown's Antrim 1884 currently generates hotel tax revenue that could benefit the City. Airbnb and Vrbo rentals could also potentially provide additional funding from tax revenue. Thurmont, as an example, receives a portion of Frederick County hotel tax on the condition that the money is used on tourism marketing to audiences outside of a certain radius.
Recommendation 14 asks the Council to explore what kind of fundraising they do or do not want to see from Main Street. Number 15 asks to continue (for now) funding the position of Main Street manager and economic development director as a combined role until such time as is possible to separate them. Recommendation 16 creates the framework that will lead to a full time Main Street manager in the future.
Number 17 identifies strategies for the Program to include administrative systems and tools to effectively manage the program. Recommendation 18 suggests the Council mandate using DHCD workplans, or a form of them, to aid the Board in achieving clear goals in a sanctioned method.
Recommendation 19 provides a way to strengthen the framework of Main Street to ensure program success. Number 20 ensures compliance with national and DHCD training requirements. And lastly, recommendation 21 ensures the Council meets its obligations to DHCD.
According to Wieprecht, DHCD has reviewed the list of recommendations and offered comments regarding them; however, staff has not had time to follow up on their input.
The Council will hold a dedicated workshop to address the suggested recommendations in December.
