Mt Pleasant Recommended For National Accreditation

The Texas Main Street Program of the Texas Historical Commission has recommended Mount Pleasant for National Accreditation to the National Main Street Center. Mount Pleasant’s Report of Progress submitted to the state office as part of its annual reporting requirement for Fiscal Year 2016 is the base for the recommendation.

In 1999, the National Main Street Center implemented this process to recognize local Main Street revitalization programs for their individual annual progress and improvement through the Main Street Four-Point Approach™. Through the Approach, local programs focus on a myriad of activities within four strategic areas. These areas include creating ‘Economic Vitality’ through making the most of a community’s unique sense of place and existing historic asset, harnessing local economic opportunity and creating a supportive business environment for small businesses. Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical elements of downtown while capitalizing on unique assets that set the commercial district apart. Through Promotion, the business district is the center of the community and hub of economic activity. The Organization strategy area mobilizes the resources and partners needed to show measurable outcomes from a Main Street revitalization effort. The National Main Street Now conference in Pittsburg, Pa. formally announces the National Accreditation.

“This honor recognizes the Mount Pleasant Main Street program as a progressive and an innovative force dedicated to continuous improvement while maintaining the integrity of the historical aspects of our beautiful downtown,” said Jacob Hatfield, Director of Community Services. He added, “This group effort pays off in huge dividends of growth and improvement for our community. The Mount Pleasant Main Street organization received bonus points on several aspects of the accreditation criteria, plus positive comments from the Texas Main Street Program judges on the combined efforts of those involved in this organization.”

Texas currently has 89 designated Main Street programs, making it one of the largest in the country. The Texas program was one of the first state coordinating programs to be established in 1981, and since that time it has been a part of the Texas Historical Commission, the state agency for historic preservation. Year-end reinvestment statistics show cumulative reinvestment over this period from all programs that have participated at $3.38 billion, with the creation of more than 35,000 jobs and almost 5,000 small businesses.

Volunteers are important aspects of the Main Street model because they help leverage the impact a small staff can have and also provide an avenue for the whole community to be a part of the success of downtown. Volunteer leadership works with staff to carry out the local program. Over the past year, volunteer contributed 123,885 hours to Texas Main Street programs. Since 1999, volunteers provided more than 1.4 million hours. The economic value of this to local public budgets is more than $35.6 million.

The National Main Street Conference in Pittsburg, Pa on May 1-3, 2017, formally announces the cities who achieve national accreditation.

More information on the National Main Street Center/Main Street America: http://www.mainstreet.org/
More information about the Texas Main Street Program and the Texas Historical Commission: http://www.thc.texas.gov/preserve/projects-and-programs/texas-main-street and http://www.thc.texas.gov/