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Milton officials want mom-and-pop shop owners and big developers to know they’re working at becoming better business partners by participating in the Main Street program.
Milton Mayor Don Post said that in the late 1990s Milton was approved as a Main Street member. He said the town lacked commitment at the time but today is ready to consider the national program.
A division of the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street is designed to conserve and revitalize historic districts.
Nationally, about 1,200 towns and cities are members, and Milton may join seven other Main Street cities in Delaware, including Rehoboth Beach, Milford and Middletown.
Joanie Martin-Brown, chairwoman of the Milton Economic Development Committee, said, “We really want to have this be a town-wide effort. It’s really important that the landlords be involved, as well as the citizens, in town development.
“We also have economic engines: the museum, theater, the beauty the garden club brings to the town, and a refurbished park,” she said. “They set a wonderful stage for retail and economic activity.”
Residents have an opportunity to learn about the Main Street program at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, at Mariner Middle School when Main Street State Coordinator Diane Laird will discuss how to become a Main Street community.
Laird toured the town in November, led by Milton Town Clerk Stephanie Coulbourne.
“The Economic Development Committee is pleased to have the expertise Mrs. Laird brings to Milton to help the town move forward with this process,” said Coulbourne, the town’s Main Street liaison.
“It’s a charming town,” Laird said. “But all towns have opportunities for a better mix of businesses. All towns have opportunities to reduce vacancies.”
If town officials agree, they will sign a letter of intent to begin the four-step process of becoming a Main Street community.
That requires first, establishing a Main Street governing body. Second, promoting the town by highlighting existing town festivals and events.
The third step is to enhance town buildings through better signage and facades.
Finally, Main Street works to fill empty storefronts by promoting existing businesses and attracting new ones.
Martin-Brown said, “One concern of the mayor and council is how to fast-track bringing businesses to town.”
The state would help fund a local Main Street office, with support from Milton businesses, for operational expenses and managing the programs, including façade improvement and hardware costs, said Laird.
Typically, $75,000 to $100,000 a year, in state and local funds, would be budgeted for Main Street offices.
Milton has also been selected to receive funds through a U.S. Deptartment of Agriculture grant.
In February, the state economic development office received about $235,000 for rural community development.
Milton is one of six towns that will receive money earmarked to help train officials to develop their local economy.
“In Delaware, we have a lot of small towns. We don’t have a lot of cities,” said Laird.
“A lot of these towns are pass-through towns. People come from east to west. How do we get customers from those people who are driving through or driving by?”
Laird said the town’s next step is to bring together the stakeholders for local involvement. “It’s a ground-up approach, not top down,” she said.
For more information, go to www.dedo.delaware.gov/MainStreet/htpdocs/communities.html.
Contact Kevin Spence at k.spence@capegazette.com.
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