COG approves $9,000 Main Street workshop series to build regional capacity

The Northwest Hills County Council of Governments voted on March 13 to fund a three-workshop "phase 2" package, led by Connecticut Main Street and marketing consultant Miranda Creative, to help member towns develop Main Street visions and action steps and to identify technical assistance needs.

Why it matters: Many small towns in the region lack the staff capacity to execute comprehensive downtown revitalization plans. The proposed program aims to prepare towns to receive technical assistance and to prioritize funding needs.

Program details: Rista (Economic Development) said the three workshops would cover (1) an overview of how a regional Main Street program works, (2) a visioning session for each town that will inform marketing work, and (3) a follow-up workshop to identify action steps and priorities. The total cost is roughly $9,000, which Rista proposed to allocate from existing fiscal-year program/project funds that currently show under-spending. She noted some previously earmarked items (design manual, RFP match) are unlikely to be spent this year and can be reallocated.

Council action: A motion to authorize the workshops carried; one member (Doug) recorded an opposed vote on the measure during the roll call and the remainder voted in favor. Rista will proceed with contracting and scheduling and provide follow-up materials and a workshop timeline.

Next steps: Staff will resend the regional and town Main Street assessment reports to members and circulate a schedule for the workshops. Rista said the workshops are designed to ready towns to apply for technical assistance and possible funding in a later fiscal year.