[OMS_MANAGERS] City employee?

Fri Apr 2 11:14:19 PDT 2021

Hi Everyone,

For 5 years, our local MS organization (formerly Estacada Development Association) employed a full-time staffperson, Nancy Hoffman. In 2018, the City and EDA decided to bring the MS program under the economic development “department” of the city and to bring Nancy on as city staff—Main Street Manager. The EDA was effectively dissolved and the board became a commission of the city: the Downtown Estacada Commission. This model seemed to be working well, despite very reasonable reservations that Sheri and others expressed when we announced the decision to bring Main Street under the City umbrella. The Commission was engaged, and the subcommittees were active. The 4-point approach was alive and well.

In March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic lockdown, Nancy decided to retire. The program remained somewhat inactive for the duration of 2020, but in Q1 of 2021 we have relaunched with a new commission, comprised of mainly downtown business owners (yay!), and with me as the staff liaison to the Commission… effectively the Main Street Manager. After discussing at length with the City Manager, we just couldn’t justify the rehire of a full-time Main Street Manager, especially with the pandemic economy and revenues uncertain. I was already doing a lot of “Main Street” work in my capacity, as I manage the urban renewal agency and its grant programs as part of my role as ec dev manager. I am a BIG believer in the Main Street model of economic development and so the assumption of Main Street into my job description has been pretty natural. We are getting committees relaunched and engaged and there is considerable energy downtown right now, in the form of revitalization/redevelopment projects, new development, and new business starts. Collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and the Arts Commission. Lots of ideas brewing for how to improve or replace events, with a new emphasis on activities (vs. huge events) that will bring people downtown more often, albeit in smaller numbers.

Here are my unabashedly biased opinions on this topic:

  *   Cities that neglect their local Main Street program and/or do not have an economic development staffperson are being intellectually dishonest if they also say they are interested in economic development and/or revitalization
  *   Main Street programs across the country spend (waste?) tons of time and energy just figuring out how they can pay and retain a talented Main Street Manager. Many, if not all, MS activities are only executed if they can somehow be monetized. This is truly unfortunate.
  *   The local municipality is uniquely positioned and usually financially capable of employing and retaining someone that can really make things happen downtown and across the city. Without a competitive salary and benefits, Main Street will always struggle with talent recruitment and retention.

(This does not mean that those of you who are MS Managers are not talented, awesome people. You are! It just means I can almost guarantee that while you love your work, you are also probably wondering how you can improve your pay and benefits through a potential job change at some point in the future, near or far.)

  *   In most cities under pop. 10,000, the work of Main Street is not a full time job. (unpopular opinion, I know) That’s okay. This is yet another reason why small cities should consider hiring an economic development staffperson who can manage Main Street, AND do other economic development/urban renewal work across the city.
  *   If the city doesn’t want to take on a full-time staffperson, for whatever reason, fine. I get it. Public employees are REALLY EXPENSIVE. I also agree there are advantages to having Main Street be a standalone nonprofit organization. But, getting back to my first point, the City cannot lament their sleepy downtown and lack of economic growth while simultaneously refusing to invest in human capital. Any city serious about economic development must support Main Street financially in some shape or form, and integrate their work with the broader work of the city. Full stop.

[https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1kvN4vw5iQXUywPu9LCqaWcVNsG6Ie0sM]
[https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1Mt0sfcGXT95pOhPjBAK2Y_PlsVgpJOnP]
[facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/cityofestacada>
[linkedin]<https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzenmatt/>
[instagram]<https://www.instagram.com/cityofestacada/>
Matt Lorenzen
Economic Development Manager
City of Estacada

[https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tools/email-signature-generator/icons/phone-icon-2x.png]
503 630 8270 x 206<tel:503%20630%208270%20x%20206>
[https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tools/email-signature-generator/icons/email-icon-2x.png]
lorenzen at cityofestacada.org<mailto:lorenzen at cityofestacada.org>
[https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tools/email-signature-generator/icons/link-icon-2x.png]
cityofestacada.org/biz<file://cityofestacada.org/biz>
[https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tools/email-signature-generator/icons/address-icon-2x.png]
475 SE Main Street

The City has implemented measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect our staff and customers, while maintaining our commitment to serve the community. For City closures and information regarding the City’s response to coronavirus, visit www.cityofestacada.org/coronavirus<http://www.cityofestacada.org/coronavirus> or call 503.630.8270.

From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> On Behalf Of Calvin LeSueur
Sent: Thursday, April 1, 2021 5:48 PM
To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] City employee?

Kelly, Lyndsey, et al,

I had a long chat with Sheri about this just last week – perhaps we could have a small group call on this topic?

My title is Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator (City of Canby), but I am also considered the Main Street Manager (we are at the lowest level of OMS).

The focus of our ‘Main Street efforts’ are several annual events and promotions, which I coordinate. Otherwise, I act as Econ Dev coordinator for commercial businesses (my supervisor handles the industrial park business). I also am the tourism “lead”, focusing on destination development while hiring out the ‘Visit Canby’ marketing/ website/ social. I am also staff liaison to the Bike & Ped Committee and Heritage and Landmarks Committee.  It is a lot of roles, but most of these roles are closely related and the community ‘gets it’ that I am the contact for downtown issues from parking to sidewalk cafes to Façade Improvement Grants. I feel a little disingenuous sometimes saying I’m a “Main Street Manager”, knowing the very full-time job that that is, and the structure it usually takes. I am exploring the idea of formalizing our downtown association as a City Committee, which I believe could support my work with more committed volunteers/ board members… but hoping to talk to others in this network about that first!

Sincerely,

Calvin LeSueur
Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator
City of Canby
222 NE 2nd Ave. |PO Box 930
Canby, OR 97013
Phone: 503-266-0772
LeSueurC at CanbyOregon.gov<mailto:LeSueurC at CanbyOregon.gov>

From: OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov] On Behalf Of Business Outreach & Community Coordinator
Sent: Thursday, April 1, 2021 4:49 PM
To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov>>
Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] City employee?

Hello Kelly,

I work for Gold Beach Main Street as a part time staff person (30 hours per week).  Currently, and in the past two years, this position has been half-funded by the City of Gold Beach's Urban Renewal Agency since both the URA and our Main Street program have similar goals. The position is technically a split one, but the city had enough office people for the amount of work it needed once the pandemic hit, so my work wasn't really necessary on their behalf.  Though there is a Memorandum of Understanding between both parties and a general description of responsibilities, there has been less City work than originally planned. I fill in when needed (answering phone calls, doing general city business, directing people to proper departments, etc) and help do things like stuff monthly bills.

I think the biggest purpose I serve is as the bridge to both parties, as I act as the liaison. The few hours I do spend a week on City work doesn't affect my Main Street duties, and since the City has enough staffing they don't have a particular requirement on how many hours a week I do for them.  The City has been very generous for our Main Street program and they also provide the office space, office supplies and support to get things done.

Let me know if you want to talk about it more, I can also send the Memorandum of Understanding and some of the position information!

Best,

Lyndsey

Lyndsey Dixon
Business Outreach & Community Coordinator | Gold Beach Main Street
541 247 7029 ext. 106 | goldbeachmainstreet.org<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__goldbeachmainstreet.org&d=DwMGaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=TuGoGUnLSLcH5J0U9tIySL_FU7tjUCTlYhJG0UEz5OY&m=fIpkRk_-N1mKugDTLzGg_uKsqOKSpQ8jKAm3acXv2jY&s=7NveeQX5et8Ra9ff5jxyxKNVPtVwCnFW4nmG8ybvU3g&e=>
PO Box 1203, Gold Beach, OR 97444

On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 3:23 PM Kelly Haverkate <kellyjhaverkate at gmail.com<mailto:kellyjhaverkate at gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi All,
I'd love to hear from those of you who work, in some capacity, for the City you're in.  Looking for models where a City Economic Development person or Tourism person is doing the Main Street Work.  Or maybe sharing City work/Main Street non profit work?

Thanks very much!

Kelly Haverkate
Dayton

________________________________

PUBLIC RECORDS LEGAL DISCLOSURE

This email is a public record of the City of Canby, Oregon, and is subject to public disclosure unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon Public Records Law. This email is subject to the State Retention Schedule.

________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/oms_managers/attachments/20210402/abe2cfa6/attachment.html>