Maysville has once again been nationally accredited as a Main Street America community, Assistant City Manager Matt Wallingford said Monday.
Gaining accreditation is a year-long process, Wallingford said, with work completed in December for the re-accreditation each year. Receiving the status is a tribute to the Main Street Board, he said.
"The Main Street Board works hard to follow the 10 standards and utilize the four-point approach," Wallingford said.
"I think it's an honor," he said.
The Main Street program accreditation process evaluates local Main Street programs according to 10 performance standards and provides national recognition to those that meet these standards, according to the program's website.
The national accreditation program strives to:
-- Provide local and national visibility to local Main Street programs that understand and fully utilize the Main Street Four-Point Approach® and eight Main Street principles and that continue to evolve organizationally to meet new challenges;
-- Provide national standards for performance for local Main Street programs; and
-- Provide realistic goals and a tangible incentive for local Main Street programs that do not yet meet the criteria for national recognition.
Receiving National Main Street Program status is a prestigious designation, the program's website said. While every designated local Main Street program can work toward accreditation, not every Main Street program receives it. Main Street coordinating programs evaluate their local programs every year and submit their eligible programs to the Main Street Center.
The Main Street America™ standards of performance -- used for designating programs as Main Street America™ Accredited members -- were developed by the National Main Street Center and coordinating program partners.
The 10 Standards of Performance which cities must meet include:
-- Has broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process, with strong support from both the public and private sectors.
-- Has developed vision and mission statements relevant to community conditions and to the local Main Street program's organizational stage.
-- Has a comprehensive Main Street work plan.
-- Possesses an historic preservation ethic.
-- Has an active board of directors and committees.
-- Has an adequate operating budget.
-- Has a paid professional program manager.
-- Conducts a program of ongoing training for staff and volunteers.
-- Reports key statistics.
-- Is a current member of the Main Street America™ Network.
Caroline Keller Reece was recently named Maysville's Main Street director. Monday was her first day on the job.
The Ledger Independent is online at: http://www.maysville-online.com