BEDFORD — In its final meeting before the next fiscal year, Bedford City Council decided Tuesday it will continue to fund the Bedford Main Street program for up to the next six months.
Council voted 4-2 on Tuesday to appropriate just more than $2,000 a month to the program starting in July. However, council members said they want to hear from program leaders on a long-term plan before any more money is given after a six-month period.
The program, one of Virginia’s longest-designated Main Street communities, has faced pressures of late when its executive director resigned earlier this year. The city did not fill the vacancy due to economic cutbacks. Council’s finance committee has debated the program’s future regularly this year while formulating the city’s 2009-10 budget that appropriates $25,000 to aid downtown merchants.
Mayor Skip Tharp said Tuesday’s decision puts the program “on probation” as far as local funding is concerned. Tharp and Councilman C.G. Stanley voted against funding the program in next year’s budget without a submitted plan. Tharp said it’s council’s desire to find the best vehicle to support downtown businesses but he personally feels the program doesn’t do so.
Several council members expressed concern about how dropping funds could affect Centerfest, an annual downtown gathering that the program organizes.
“I think we need to show good faith,” Councilman James Vest said in support of the appropriation.
Vice Mayor Bob Wandrei, Councilman Steve Rush and Councilwoman Mary Flood also voted in favor. Councilman Jeff Hubbard was absent Tuesday.
Virginia Main Street, a part of the state’s Housing and Community Development, was founded in 1985 to help revitalize downtown districts. In its first year, it certified three cities as Main Street communities, including Bedford.
Since then, the program has certified two more Central Virginia communities: Lynchburg in 2000 and Altavista in 2007. The state has 21 such communities.
In other business: Council voted to change its regular meeting times from 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month to 7 p.m.
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