04-A Main St. Min 3-16-05
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF MAIN STREET
ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Aiken Building –Downtown Paris
23 East Plaza
3:00 p.m.
A meeting of the members of the Paris Main Street Advisory Board was held Wed., March 16, 2005 at 3
p.m., at the Aiken Building. Zach Saffle, Chairman, presided.
PRESENT:
Barbara Wilson, Zach Saffle, Bill Kirby, Jennifer Long, Suzy Harper, Deanna Roberts (Alt.)
ABSENT:
David House, Linda Su Suarez, Pike Burkhart (Alt.), Bailey Gant (Alt.), Renee Harvey (Alt.)
Also present were:
Bethany Golden MS Coordinator, Lisa Wright Community Development & Tony
Williams City Manager (City of Paris). Karen Wilkerson (City Councilwoman)
Zach Saffle called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
February 22, 2005 minutes were reviewed by board members and unanimously approved as submitted on
a motion by B. Wilson, seconded by B. Kirby.
Discussion of possible events at the Market Square.
Possible events included rummage sales, Market Days, non-profit sales, ex. Scouts or Goodland Boys
Home, as well as horticultural sales by groups like the adult probationers, prisoners or the area high
school students. B. Golden stated currently no farmers are registered to sell this season. Board members
suggested contacting the extension service and master gardeners to solicit potential farmers. Upon receipt
of farmers, the board agreed some advertising s/b provided through media including the Paris News and
television commercials (Quintana Honda). Jennifer Long & Bill Kirby volunteered to head the
promotional subcommittee addressing events for Market Square.
Discussion of and action on privately owned buildings, targeting one or two per year for
assistance.
Design Assistance
B. Golden reported to the board that is available to graduate Main Street cities. B.
Golden will contact THC to investigate further and provide specifics at next meeting. The board
identified the following buildings for possible design assistance: Building No. 18 (S. McDowell, owner),
Famous Footwear, Center Stage Antiques, KC Building, American Legion & Spanish church on Kaufman
St. With the understanding owners would have to be agreeable to such assistance.
Discussion of need for certain public amenities on the Plaza and determining methods to
provide same.
Tony Williams, City Manager stated areas for amenities have been identified and the City is pursuing
possible grant funding. The board expressed concern for locking the facilities in the evenings. The
subcommittee will investigate how we are currently locking facilities at the city parks (or if they are
locked at all). It was confirmed by the subcommittee that the proposed pocket park is not one of the
target areas for a restroom facility.
reported
B. Golden that the Heritage Tourism Grant for Way-Finding Signs was denied, however the
need for signs is of utmost importance and Main Street would find a way to provide signs. B. Golden and
L. Wright also reported that notices could not be sent at this time to heavy truck operators using
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downtown as a throughway. We will have to re-visit the ordinance for applicability and may have to
propose changes. B. Golden is obtaining bids for benches & trashcans for Plaza. Also reported that
banners (Shop Historic DT) would be purchased and placed at entrances of the city for the sidewalk sale.
An open discussion followed the regular meeting agenda. Board members expressed the need to keep
sidewalks and curbs free of weeds and stated in the past it was a MS responsibility. City Manager, Tony
Williams stated he would check into using chemicals to control the weed problem. Karen Wilkerson
brought up fundraising for MS using items such as collectable post cards, yard lawn signs or framed
prints of the history of downtown.
Request items from Board for future agendas.
agendaNew banners
Request for items for next included: for downtown light poles (Suzy & Jennifer are
training for downtown merchants
heading the subcommittee). The board also discussed possible
regarding merchandising and window displays. MS manager reported that a program is in the works to
financial
address the need for additional training opportunities. Board also discussed the need for
incentives
for investors downtown and in the historic districts. Bill Kirby volunteered to head the
MS board training
subcommittee. MS coordinator discussed the possibility of attending an upcoming
rd
event to be held in Winnsboro the 23 of June @ 4:00 p.m. The need for appointing subcommittee heads
was also discussed with the board as well as the importance of outside community members to assist with
these subcommittees. Inclusion of community members in planning will help communicate the mission
of MS.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
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