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Montana Main Street coordinator outlines program as Sheridan residents debate RV parking and growth
Summary
Micky Zurcher of the Montana Main Street Improvement Program told Sheridan council the program is locally driven, requires a community lead and has grant deadlines mid-November; residents suggested day-use RV parking at Kiwanis Park and raised concerns about managed growth and safety.
Micky Zurcher, coordinator for the Department of Commerce’s Montana Main Street Improvement Program, presented to the Town of Sheridan council on April 14 about the program’s structure and application timeline. Zurcher said Sheridan participated in the program in earlier years but has fallen off in the last two years and that renewed participation requires a local organization or leader to run the program.
"It is a locally driven program, and the Department of Commerce is simply a resource," Zurcher said, describing the program’s project-assistance and collaboration role. She told the council the annual grant application is due in mid-November and that quarterly updates are due by June 1; review and gubernatorial concurrence typically follow in January.
Council and community members discussed how Main Street membership would work for Sheridan. Patricia Wang suggested the town consider allowing RVs to park at Kiwanis Park for day use only, saying the park "would be a suitable place for RVs to park for the day. Day Use only. No camping." Several residents, including Doris Fischer, encouraged community-driven projects to bolster the local economy, while Mark McLaughlin cautioned against locating large RVs near a children’s play area because of safety risks.
The presentation and discussion left the council with two near-term items: a June 1 quarterly update deadline and further public conversation about whether Sheridan wants to rejoin the Main Street program and how to structure local leadership if it does. Zurcher said the town remains eligible to rejoin as long as it completes the Main Street Improvement Program requirements.
