Cassville Accepted into Missouri Main Street Connection

$23,000 Matching Grant Will Jump-Start Revitalization Training
For the second time in 2010, Cassville’s downtown district has applied for and been accepted into a downtown revitalization program and network of support. Downtown Cassville Partnership (DCP) President Carolyn Bishop was notified Tuesday, November 30, that Cassville had been accepted into the Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC).

Cassville is one of the communities qualifying for a first-time $23,000 matching grant from MMSC for revitalization training and mentoring. MMSC is the state’s designated program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which assists states and more than 1900 communities in the revitalization and preservation of business districts.

“Mayor Tracy Holle and I travelled to Jefferson City in September to learn about this program,” said DCP President Carolyn Bishop. “The DCP then voted to pursue this designation to compliment the Missouri DREAM initiative. They are separate, but complimentary programs. We worked with the City’s Economic Development Office this fall to finalize and submit an application to be accepted into the MMSC.”

The MMSC helps communities throughout Missouri to enhance the economic, social, cultural and environmental well being of historic downtown business districts, using a full range of services and assistance to meet the needs of communities interested in revitalization.
“In the 2009 Citizen Opinion Survey for the Master Plan for Economic Growth and Development, Cassville’s citizens were quite clear in supporting initiatives for improving and beautifying the downtown district to reflect and enhance the City’s historic past,” said Mayor Holle. “Over 31% of our citizens responded to the survey and we are honoring their desires by encouraging downtown development.”

The MMSC uses the successful Main Street™ methodology developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as its foundation for success. This approach emphasizes four critical areas of revitalization:
-- Organization helps everyone work towards the same goals and maximizes involvement of public and private leaders within the community;
-- Promotion brings people downtown by helping to attract visitors, shoppers, and investors;
-- Design enhances a district‘s appearance and pedestrian amenities while preserving its historic features; and
-- Economic Restructuring stimulates business development and helps strengthen the district‘s economic base.

Services are offered through a tiered system to the members of MMSC. Tier designation is determined annually by application and contract with the Missouri Main Street Connection Program.

Cassville joins over 100 Missouri communities currently in the first tier – the Aspiring Communities. The second tier, Affiliate Communities, includes Ash Grove, Fredericktown, Glasgow, Raytown, Saint Genevieve, and Sedalia. Communities that have achieved the next to highest tier, Associate Communities, are Clinton, Liberty, Sikeston and Warrensburg. The highest designation, Accredited Communities, has been granted to Cape Girardeau, Chillicothe, Lee's Summit and Washington.