Local business leaders defend Purcellville's participation in Virginia Main Street program

Business owners and Main Street volunteers spoke in support of Purcellville's participation in the Virginia Main Street program during the April 22 council meeting, saying the initiative aims to help historic downtown properties with grant-funded restoration.

Amanda Dayton, president of the Purcellville Main Street program, told the council the local Main Street organization has filed incorporation paperwork and submitted roughly $40,000 in grant applications for restoration projects, and that many of those grants do not require town matching funds. "These grants do not require matching funds from the town," Dayton said, asking the council to continue to provide a letter of support rather than withdraw town backing.

Council discussion earlier in the meeting had flagged a $15,000 grant application from the planning department to support historic downtown design guidelines for Vineyard Square and Nichols Hardware. One councilmember questioned whether the planning department or other staff would need to spend town-paid time to support grant applications; planning staff said some effort would require staff time but that volunteers and part-time staff contribution would limit the town's expense.

Speakers urged the council to consider the program as an economic-development, community-led effort rather than a new line-item expense. Several small-business owners said the program could help long-established downtown merchants without requiring new town expenditures.

The council did not take a formal vote on program participation at the meeting; advocates asked the council to avoid creating a costly withdrawal process that would consume staff time and legal costs if the town were to rescind its letter of support.