Ortonville- Is the village too small for Main Street?
Village Council Trustee Mary Kassuba is suggesting this may be the case and has asked her fellow council members to consider pulling out of the Main Street program.
‘We’ve paid $50,000 in three years for a director,? Kassuba said during the council’s Nov. 26 meeting. ‘Have we gained that much??
Kassuba said she made the suggestion because she thinks that at this point, it’s costing the taxpayers money to pay for a Downtown Development Authority director and she is unsure if the village is reaping the benefit. She believes the village may be too small for the Main Street program.
The village is the smallest of 12 municipalities that participate in the Main Street Oakland County program, the mission of which is to maximize economic potential within the context of historic preservation.
The village officially joined the Main Street program in 2005, when officials from the National Trust Main Street Center conducted a needs assessment here.
Main Street communities are provided with technical services? experts who help determine how to achieve goals the community has for their downtown.
But while advice is given, money is generally not (although the village received $6,000 from the program last year to be used toward the master plan).
The program also requires a DDA Executive Director/Main Street Manager, of which the village has had three since the program’s inception. All the managers have been part-time, and the first manager, Julie Courtney, received a yearly salary of $20,000, while the last manager, Janine Saputo, and current manager, Molly LaLone, have had salaries of $15,000 annually.
‘When it started, I was impressed with the program, but is it great for the village?? Kassuba asked. ‘Is it benefitting the village or costing us money? My understanding is Main Street would help with services, such as architectural or facade services, but the municipality has to put money into the project. If they’re using their money to pay for a director, they don’t have the money to put into the projects.?
DDA Chairman Robert Renchik declined to address Kassuba’s comments specifically, but defended the Main Street program as a tried and proven entity through the county and the country.
‘Those communities that follow the Main Street program benefit in making an economically healthy and fruitful place for residents to shop, congregate, work and enjoy their downtown,? he said. ?(The program) offers design and architect services and helped out huge when we did a market survey. It’s a very successful endeavor.?
MSOC Coordinator Bob Donohue will attend the Jan. 14 village council meeting to discuss the benefits of the Main Street program. For more information on Main Street, visit http://www.oakgov.com/peds/program_service/main_street/mainstreetoc.html