Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Odd Lab fire dancers are a main attraction of Fired Up!, Tucumcari MainStreet’s annual downtown street fair.
link The Odd Lab fire dancers are a main attraction of
Fired Up!, Tucumcari MainStreet’s annual downtown street fair.
QCS Managing Editor
The Tucumcari MainStreet board of directors has divided itself into four committees to align with guidelines from the National Main Street Center, and is now ready to “accelerate the program,” Gail Houser, MainStreet’s executive director said.
Tucumcari MainStreet is poised for action due to other factors, as well, Houser said.
“I’ve been here for six months getting the lay of the land,” he said, “and now I’m ready to accelerate our activity.”
As a first step, he said, he is hoping MainStreet can help business owners make building repairs, using low-interest loans and grants. He also wants to campaign to get people to shop Main Street, he said.
David Hale, chair of the MainStreet board, agreed the organization is ready to move ahead.
He said he is particularly encouraged that some new people are getting active in MainStreet.
Houser, who has been at the head of MainStreet since last September, said, “I am amazed at the level of friendliness and the ‘what-can-I-do-to-help’ attitudes” among MainStreet board members.
On Feb. 9, the MainStreet board established four committees as suggested by the national Main Street Center organization.
The committees include:
• a promotion committee, chaired by Connie Loveland. This long-standing committee organizes MainStreet’s annual Fired Up! event in late September, as well as other events and promotional activities. The committee’s main tasks will be to upgrade MainStreet’s website, consolidate marketing literature, and develop a signage strategy.
• a design committee, chaired by Robert Dominguez. This committee will be dedicated to getting the downtown area into top physical shape, preserving its historic character and making it inviting for shoppers, workers, and visitors, according to Main Street’s web site.
The design committee’s main tasks in Tucumcari will be to develop design guidelines, create a “facade squad” to help improve downtown’s appearance, and initiate a “one building at a time” strategy.
• An economic positioning committee, chaired by Robert Arrowsmith, publisher of the Quay County Sun. This committee’s main tasks are to create a MainStreet business directory, develop a strategy for new business recruitment, and assist in formulating aneconomic development plan for the city.
• An organization committee, no chair named yet, Houser said. This committee’s function is to build partnerships with groups that have a stake in the downtown area, and assure that there is collaboration in getting all to work toward the same goals. This committee’s main tasks will be to update and distribute board notebooks, create and schedule an annual membership drive and to research property owners in the district.
