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Main Street Arkansas Downtown Institute

Left to Right: Cyndi Corkran, Rector Community Development Director, Secretary/Liasion; Nancy Kemp, Clay County Democrat Editor and Co-Publisher, Public Relations; Betty Benson, City of Rector Administrative Assistant, Treasurer; Todd Watson, Rector City Superintendant, Sergeant at Arms.

Representatives from downtown Rector recently attended the Main Street Arkansas Downtown Institute May 6-7 in Little Rock.   Attendance at the Institute was the next step in certification as a member of the Arkansas Downtown Network (ADN).  Rector applied for membership to the ADN in March and participated in a peer review panel in mid April. 

At the training, experts in downtown revitalization presented intensive half-day sessions on each of the four work areas of Main Street Four-Point Approach™. Stephanie Redman, a consultant from New Mexico, presented on how to organize a downtown revitalization program; Kathy LaPlante, program officer with the National Trust Main Street Center, showed all the ways to promote downtown; Keith Kjelstrom, an economist from California, spoke on how to best position downtowns economically; and Kevin Pomeroy, AICP, a planner and architectural design consultant, spoke on downtown streetscapes and historic architectural design. 

Members of the Arkansas Downtown Network will soon receive no-cost, on-site visits presented by Main Street Arkansas staff which will be open to the public. Interior design consultant Susan Shaddox will give her workshop entitled “Designing Window Displays that Sell,” small business consultant Mark Miller will present “Surviving in a Big Box World,” and exterior design consultant Nancy Lowe will speak on historic architecture and streetscapes. Additionally, Main Street Arkansas Assistant Director Greg Phillips will work with volunteers on the next steps for revitalizing downtown Rector.