El Dorado Main Street summarizes 2024 activities, reports rise in funding and volunteer value

An El Dorado Main Street representative presented the organization’s 2024 annual report to the El Dorado City Commission during the meeting, outlining downtown events, new tenants and changes in organizational capacity.

The report said Main Street’s work in 2024 followed its four organizing principles — promotion, organization, economic development and design — and credited a $5,000 presenting sponsorship from BG Products with helping pay cash prizes for holiday events.

Main Street reported hiring a communications manager, launching a new website and increasing social media outreach “by at least 60%,” the presenter said. The group also held recurring downtown assemblies (attendance ranged from about 6–7 people at several meetings to as many as 25–30) and plans a reception in February to recognize longtime downtown retailer Robin Forpaw; City Manager David Dilmer is scheduled to speak at that reception.

Under design initiatives, Main Street paid roughly $1,700 for sample earth planters and for cleaning the artscape; Craig Yarian recommended an IntelliStreet system for a new audio soundscape, and Main Street is coordinating with city public works and other partners on the soundscape work.

On organization and finance, Main Street said it added four board members in 2024, pursued a transformational strategy through Kansas Main Street and Main Street America (work the presenter described as a roughly $13,000 value), and increased operational funding by about 42% over 2023 with a modest positive carryover. The organization said current liquid assets total $92,630 and that it is managing 13 Investment Without Walls (IWW) loans with additional applicants awaiting funding.

The presenter noted Main Street valued volunteer time in 2024 at about $251,000, a figure the group said does not appear on its balance sheet but represents the economic contribution of volunteer hours.

Main Street listed recent downtown openings and projects including Speed Trap Distillery, The Main Vault, a private gym on South Main, Etown Nutrition, Work Team Mercantile and “Nurture by Nursing.” The presenter said the McClure Building is fully occupied and that applications for building projects totaled 13 last year, an increase over the prior year though the total permit valuation declined somewhat.

Main Street also said it helped facilitate a $50,000 T‑Mobile hometown grant and is awaiting the outcome of a MIH grant application for about $650,000 tied to work at the Masonic Building. The group said it plans an annual fundraising event in early June 2025 and has revised its chart of accounts and a 2025 budget projection.

Nicole Enzminger, vice president of El Dorado Main Street, joined the presentation; Tony Allison, treasurer and a representative of Intrust Bank, was listed as treasurer leading financial reporting improvements. Board members Daniel McCoy and Brooke Adelsberger were credited with hosting a volunteer appreciation event.

The presenter provided meeting materials and said a copy of the PowerPoint would be delivered to the city clerk the next day.