Staff writer
Peabody Main Street approved July 17, the annual membership fee to Kansas Main Street Inc., the newly formed state Main Street organization.
“All our members are committed to the Main Street concept for community development, and they supported payment,” director Shane Marler said.
Each designated community pays a $1,000 membership. Main Street communities and their individual members can take advantage of training sessions, technical assistance, online seminars, program assessments, and other programs at reduced prices. Kansas communities that are not designated cities can avail themselves of many of the services, but pay more.
“All 25 communities that were in the Main Street program when the Department of Commerce pulled the funding last fall stayed in,” Marler said. “An interim group was formed to work on a new organization independent of the state. Articles of incorporation were adopted and Kansas Main Street Inc. became the new organization.”
A board of directors was elected in February and has been working on the new program.
“The fact that all 25 original communities are still on board speaks volumes about the value of Main Street,” Marler said.
The new directors lifted the population cap from the requirements, and will allow cities of more than 50,000 people to belong.
The new organization is planning training sessions, technical assistance workshops, and other activities as the first anniversary of Kansas Main Street Inc. approaches.
“We are moving forward and it is exciting for Main Street communities,” Marler said.