Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin joined more than 150 volunteers and officials from city, county and state government Tuesday evening at the Culture Center on the State Capitol Complex for “Spotlight on Main Street,” the Main Street and ON TRAC annual awards program.
“I’m proud to recognize the hard work of this year’s Main Street West Virginia and ON TRAC award recipients and celebrate their accomplishments,” Gov. Tomblin said. “The projects these programs support help build a strong foundation for economic growth, rejuvenate downtown areas and revitalize historic commercial districts across the state. These programs are the building blocks to help create a bright future for our communities now and for years to come.”
A program of the West Virginia Development Office, Main Street West Virginia is an affiliate of Main Street America, which focuses on economic development of historic downtown and neighborhood commercial districts. The program provides communities with technical services, design assistance and training to revitalize their historic downtown centers.
West Virginia has 13 accredited Main Street Communities: Charleston, Elkins, Fairmont, Kingwood, Mannington, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Philippi, Point Pleasant, Ripley, Ronceverte and Wheeling.
ON TRAC, which stands for Organization, Training, Revitalization and Capacity, helps communities boost economic growth with evaluation, education and training in local revitalization. A community must be a successful member of ON TRAC for at least two years before applying for Main Street status.
Eleven cities currently participate in ON TRAC: Belington, Beverly, Charles Town, Kenova, Marlinton, Parkersburg, Parsons, Romney, Rowlesburg, Shinnston and Sutton.
Main Street Innovation Awards were given in the amount of $4,625 to projects that focus on creative solutions to economic restructuring within the designated commercial district. Recipients of the Main Street Innovation Awards include:
- Charleston Main Streets, East End & West Side, Bike Main Streets
Charleston Main Streets’ project is designed to increase the bicycle friendliness of the business districts by installing ten aesthetically appealing bicycle racks.
- Main Street Elkins, The Art of Elkins
The Art of Elkins is intended to create a signature event that features businesses, historic buildings, and performance venues as part of the collective arts culture.
- Main Street Martinsburg, Maintaining a Good Healthy Downtown
The project adds an interactive kiosk in the main square of downtown that will provide information on healthy happenings, walking route information, healthy options at restaurants and other health-related information.
- Main Street Morgantown, Art’s Happening
Main Street Morgantown will partner with local art organizations to create a public art program that will make the city known as an “Arts & Culture Destination.”
- Main Street Point Pleasant, Town Square Project
The Town Square will serve as the gathering place, focal point and event center, linking 12 area family attractions. The project will soon include connections by tram rides.
- Main Street Ripley, Rally Round Ripley
This project will create marketing materials, signage and promotional materials, as well as utilize a local audio broadcasting program “What’s Happening in Ripley,” to encourage residents to “shop small.”
- Reinvent Wheeling, Show of Hands
Show of Hands is a community-supported, crowd-funding event that brings community members together to vote on projects that impact downtown Wheeling.
Main Street Continuing Education Awards were given in the amount of $1,300. Eligible communities must have attended both spring and fall trainings provided by Main Street West Virginia and the National Main Street Conference or the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference. Recipients of the Main Street Continuing Education Awards include:
- Charleston Main Streets, East End
- Charleston Main Streets, West Side
- Elkins Main Street
- Main Street Fairmont
- Main Street Martinsburg
- Main Street Morgantown
- Main Street Point Pleasant
- Main Street Ripley
- Main Street Ronceverte
- Reinvent Wheeling
Main Street Volunteer Awards are given in the form of a certificate to the board member, business person, local public official and volunteer of the year at each Main Street community. Recipients of the Main Street Volunteer Awards include:
Charleston Main Streets – East End
- Board Member of the Year: Morgan Robinson
- Business Person of the Year: Nikki & Matt Holbert, Bricks and Barrels
- Local Public Official of the Year: Chief Brent Webster
- Volunteer of the Year: Steven Allen Adams and Jessica Wintz
- Charleston Main Streets – West Side
- Board Member of the Year: Mark Taylor
- Business Person of the Year: Mike Fizer and Michael Young, Bully Trap Barber Shop
- Local Public Official of the Year: Councilwoman Karan Ireland
- Volunteer of the Year: Brooke Hanna
Elkins Main Street
- Board Member of the Year: Maryann Durland
- Business Person of the Year: Tammy Dolly, Delmonte Market and Tammy’s Floral
- Local Public Official of the Year: Mayor Van Broughton
- Volunteer of the Year: Doug Starcher
Main Street Kingwood
- Board Member of the Year: Alix Evans
- Business Person of the Year: Nelson and Sharon Corbin
- Local Public Official of the Year: Councilman Bruce Wiley
- Volunteer of the Year: Tina Collins
Mannington Main Street
- Board Member of the Year: Gloria Cunningham
- Business Person of the Year: Ben Kolb
- Local Public Official of the Year: Sally Kolb
- Volunteer of the Year: Stephanie Talkington Teets
Main Street Martinsburg
- Board Member of the Year: Steve Dopson
- Business Person of the Year: Jefferson Distributing Company
- Local Public Official of the Year: Lieutenant George Swartzwood
- Volunteer of the Year: Michaela “Mike” Kursey
Main Street Morgantown
- Board Member of the Year: Jennifer Caradine
- Business Person of the Year: Amy Garcia, Garcia’s Latin Market
- Local Public Official of the Year: Commissioner Eldon Callen
- Volunteer of the Year: Orin Burke
Philippi Main Street
- Board Member of the Year: Annette Santilli
- Business Person of the Year: Dale Hawkins and Teresa Lipps, The Marketplace Cafe
- Local Public Official of the Year: Chief Jeff Walters
- Volunteer of the Year: Sandy Spotloe
Main Street Point Pleasant
- Board Member of the Year: Elizabeth Jones
- Business Person of the Year: Nellie Burns and Steve Burnette, Main Street Consignment & Fringe Salon
- Local Public Official of the Year:
- Volunteer of the Year: Lyn Robinson
Main Street Ripley
- Board Member of the Year: Marsha Humphrey
- Business Person of the Year: Ron Waybright
- Local Public Official of the Year: Doug Skeen
- Volunteer of the Year: Eldon Jones
- Teen Volunteer of the Year:Bradley Jordan and Jennifer Wine
Main Street Ronceverte
- Board Member of the Year: Sharon Schaefer
- Business Person of the Year: Belinda Bostic
- Local Public Official of the Year: Pam Mentz
- Volunteer of the Year: Sue Ella Miano and Barbara Sweetwood
Reinvent Wheeling
- Board Member of the Year: Cathie Senter
- Business Person of the Year: Gail and Dan Fincham, Stages Costume Shop
- Local Public Official of the Year: Fire Chief Larry Helms and Assistant Fire Chief Ed Geisel
- Volunteer of the Year: Josh Benyo
ON TRAC Implementation Awards were given in the amount of $1,000 to assist ON TRAC communities with completion or continuation of a project within its comprehensive work plan. Recipients of the ON TRAC Implementation Awards include:
- Belington
Building materials will be purchased for a covered performance stage to be located on the newly acquired town square property downtown. This multiseasonal stage will host events and become a focal meeting point in downtown Belington.
- Beverly
The project includes assistance with a Beverly businesses brochure, and with two summer events in which businesses can participate.
- Charles Town
Charles Town has turned Third Thursdays into a successful signature event that consistently attract 300-500 regional residents to downtown. The award will help support Third Thursday events in 2016.
- Kenova
Kenova Information Center will house a 65-inch T.V. that will be used to advertise local businesses and current events in the area. The award will be used to complete work to protect the electronics from the weather.
- Marlinton
Marlinton will develop a network of partners and develop a business plan to get more fresh, affordable produce into the community.
- Parkersburg
Downtown PKB’s Design Committee is planning to add gateway signage in a second location to help brand the downtown district and welcome visitors into the community.
- Parsons
Renovation of the historic Masonic Lodge third floor community room will continue to eventually provide space for offices and community events.
- Rowlesburg
The award will support various projects, including improving grounds at the Szilliagi Center, hosting performances and tourism events downtown and advertising campaign to promote tourism locations and events.
- Shinnston
Shinnston will add a cover to the public stage and advertise that the stage is available to rent for community events and activities.
- Sutton
ON TRAC Sutton will provide the community with a permanent facility to house the newly formed “Sutton History Museum.” The museum will house artifacts, documents and other items pertaining to the history of the town. The award will support the purchase of locking display cases, artifacts, signage and materials to “decorate” the museum.
ON TRAC Volunteer of the Year Awards were also given in the form of a certificate to members of each ON TRAC community. Recipients of the ON TRAC Volunteer of the Year Awards include:
- Belington: Zachary D. Kittle
- Beverly: Linda Peterson
- Charles Town: Mary Burns
- Marlinton: Mark Straus
- Parkersburg: John Nicholson
- Parsons: Bonnie Swyter Smith
- Rowlesburg: Jewel Reed
- Shinnston: Jill Fratto
- Sutton: Chuck and Jane Murphy of Elk Theater
For more information about the Main Street West Virginia and ON TRAC program, contact www.wvcommerce.org.
