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Marshall Main Street group outlines downtown revitalization, seeks volunteers and watering plan for hanging baskets
Summary
Marshall Main Street presented a downtown revitalization update, highlighted a town-hall and upcoming USDA/Missouri Main Street workshop, and requested city help with watering plans for 45 new hanging baskets.
Rebecca Adams, president of Marshall Main Street, updated the City Council on downtown revitalization efforts and a community-led hanging flower-basket project for the square.
Adams said a March town hall drew more than 50 attendees and generated 20 goals based on the Main Street Four-Point Approach: organization, promotion, design and economic vitality. She said Missouri Main Street and USDA teams will return for a two-day workshop in June that will provide free design and marketing assistance to a few downtown property owners.
Adams also raised a potential new state incentive for downtown housing: "Senate Bill 35 and House Bill 610" were described to the council as legislation that would offer a rural development 30% tax credit for second-floor residential conversions. Adams said the bills had passed the Senate and were moving in the House; she presented this as a developing opportunity for upper-floor housing in Marshall.
On a near-term beautification project, Adams asked the council to support laying the groundwork for 45 hanging flower baskets around the square. She said 24 were already sponsored in the initial days of the campaign and described an initial sponsorship cost of $250 to cover brackets, liners, plants and an engraved plaque. Adams asked the city to help with watering logistics and suggested the street department, rented watering trucks and volunteers (including supervised community-service workers) as possible solutions. She asked the council to consider a small one-time budget increase to cover overtime or vehicle rental for watering.
Adams also reported outreach on cemetery preservation in the area and a countywide project to address dozens of neglected historic African American cemeteries; she said a preservation workshop will be held the following Saturday at Fairview Cemetery.
The council did not take formal action on the Main Street requests during the meeting but asked staff to follow up on watering logistics and possible limited budget support.
