Bedford merchants back Main Street program

BEDFORD — A group of Bedford merchants is joining in an effort to revive the city’s struggling Main Street program that has been in existence for more than 20 years.

More than a dozen business owners recently formed a committee to work in conjunction with Bedford Main Street Inc.’s board of directors to make it more “merchant friendly” while city officials consider its future funding in grim economic times.

The program, one of Virginia’s longest-designated Main Street communities, has faced scrutiny since its executive director resigned in January. The city, which leased the position full time, did not renew it this year due to economic cutbacks.

Bedford City Council in recent months has debated the future of the program, which currently has no employees. The Bedford Chamber of Commerce proposed to take it over at one point, but Diane Wilson, the board’s president, said they each have separate, incompatible missions.

Virginia Main Street, a part of the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, was founded in 1985 to help communities revitalize downtown districts. In its first year, it certified three cities as Main Street communities, including Bedford.

Council recently approved the current fiscal budget that allocates $25,000 to aid downtown merchants throughout the year. Council later decided, by a 4-2 vote with one member absent, to appropriate just more than $2,000 a month for six months starting in July to the program. It agreed to later decide how to appropriate the remaining balance.

Several local business representatives from the committee addressed council Tuesday on its plan to revitalize the program with several dozen supporters in attendance.

“We, like yourselves, have decided it’s time to put up or shut up,” said Ginger Bell, owner of Bell Treasures, a store that sells items such as furniture and antiques.

Bell said the committee would meet regularly and, “as small town merchants working together,” look for ways to attract business to the city.

“We would like the opportunity to rebuild the Main Street program,” said Dan Plattus of the Bedford Social Club, a restaurant.

Plattus said several goals is to incorporate a comprehensive map of city businesses, re-create the program’s Web site, outsource the organizing of community events to a local planner and strive for sales promotions and advertising. One idea, he said, is to place billboards on U.S. 460.

Mayor Skip Tharp said after the presentation the program is “ready to be reborn” and the plans sound exciting.

What city leaders wanted was some positive attention to downtown commerce, he said.

“Council is very enthusiastic about what we heard tonight.”

In other news:

Douglas Schuch, superintendent of Bedford County Public Schools who took over the post July 1, introduced himself to council members. He replaced James Blevins, the former superintendent who retired after 11 years with the division. Tharp said the city, “as long as we may be a city,” in a reference to potential reversion to town status that council is mulling, looks forward to working with Schuch.