Councillor Andrew Black now sits on the Mainstreet Redevelopment board, after being voted in by his fellow councillors at Monday’s council meeting.
Black beat out councillors Mike Tower and Bruce Phinney who also offered for the position at the downtown Sackville business improvement association (BIA).
Black made his case on Monday night by citing his experience as a business owner on the BIA board, and also his excitement for the renewed energy at Mainstreet Redevelopment:
“As a former business owner of two small businesses that have since closed down, and having worked for three businesses within the BIA, and having sat on Mainstreet Redevelopment for a couple of years while I was a small business owner, I feel that I have a lot to bring to the table.
I was also at the AGM, where they elected a new president and some of the board members, and although it was a short meeting, it was very exciting. It seemed like there was a renewed focus, as well as people just being generally excited about where things are going to go.”
Mainstreet Redevelopment held their Annual General Meeting on July 15th and elected new board members, including a new president, Anthony Maddalena of Bagtown Brewery.
Mainstreet Redevelopment is funded by a levy on downtown Sackville businesses, and governed by a provincial act.
The BIA has been mostly inactive in recent years, despite collecting levies and having a part time employee.
Many town councillors and staff have referred to the recent AGM as the beginning of a “revitalization” of the Mainstreet BIA.
This comes at a good time for local businesses facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a meeting back on June 22, town councillors discussed possibilities for an economic recovery fund for local businesses. However concerns over the propriety of town funds going to help private businesses dominated the conversation. Councillors seemed at a loss for how they would be about assisting businesses.
In an interview with CHMA at the time, local businessperson Alan Barbour expressed his frustration that existing organizations like Mainstreet Redevelopment and Renaissance Sackville weren’t being utilized.
At Councillor Mike Tower’s suggestion, town staff undertook a survey to find out what the needs of the business community are in response to the pandemic.
At this Monday’s meeting, CAO Jamie Burke told council that upwards of 45 businesses have responded to the survey.
“Now, I guess we’re going to take that information, analyze it, and we’re going to be meeting with the Business Improvement Association to kind of come up with a game plan. So that’s exciting. I really want to thank the business community for their cooperation and attention to this item and giving us their support.”
CHMA has requested interviews with Councillor Andrew Black and new Mainstreet President Anthony Maddalena, to find out more about the plans for the revitalized BIA.
We hope to bring you those stories soon.
