Steps Taken Toward Rejuvenating Jackson’s Downtown

Wednesday, 16 July 2008 02:20

Steps Taken Toward Rejuvenating Jackson’s Downtown

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At Monday night’s Jackson City Council meeting, the council made several decisions designed to help rejuvenate downtown Jackson. The first decision was to adopt a “Strategic Plan 2008,” which outlines a vision and mission for the Economic Development Committee. The plan “lays the framework” for seven key strategies designed to guide the economic development activities for the City of Jackson. The seven key strategies are 1, to improve visual appeal, 2, to implement a coordinator/facilitator position, 3, to evaluate the use of public facilities and properties, 4, to establish development areas, 5, to define connectivity corridors, 6, to undergo information gathering and dissemination, and 7, to identify unmet business and service needs. The council unanimously adopted the strategic plan as a working document. The second decision made was to direct staff to move forward with a feasibility study for establishing a Redevelopment Agency for the City of Jackson.

City Manager Mike Daly indicated that “due to the special knowledge required to establish (such an agency), several consulting firms exist to provide the guidance (needed).” The council directed staff to send out Requests for Qualifications, or RFQ’s, to interested firms, which would represent the first step in the process. According to Daly, responses and the consulting firm selection process will take “about 2 months.”

Additionally, the council approved the construction of a “free parking” sign in the new public parking lot on Highway 49 at the end of Main Street. The sign would direct motorists’ attention to downtown Jackson and the free parking on Main Street. The Design Committee has come up with several suggestions, one of which was to place the sign on the front of the restroom building in the old Mel & Faye’s lot. Kam Merzlak of Merzlak Signs has offered to donate the sign, and the committee is ready to move forward. The council unanimously agreed to allow the committee full discretion in the design and construction of the sign. As always, the Economic Development Committee welcomes public input. Their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 14th at 6 PM at 33 Broadway in Jackson.