Main Street Roanoke Rapids is now a city-run program after the city council adopted a resolution on the matter Tuesday night.
The change will have no impact financially on the city, Main Street Director Ashley Thomas said in response to a question by Mayor Emery Doughtie.
City Manager Kelly Traynham said before Thomas’s presentation that she and the director met with state Main Street representatives who offered the city guidance on temporarily restructuring the program for the next year or so.
The action by the council not only restructured the program but began the application process for a volunteer advisory committee.
(Applications for the committee are open through October 28. Members will be appointed by the Roanoke Rapids City Council to serve on a volunteer basis. Interested individuals can pick up an application at City Hall, 1040 Roanoke Avenue, apply online at this link, or submit it by email. Assistance with the application process is available by request. For more information, an application, or questions, contact Thomas at
“The city of Roanoke Rapids is in the process of relaunching our nationally-recognized Main Street program to support rehabilitation, historic preservation, and economic growth in the Main Street district,” she said. “The city government determines who will administer the program at the local level.”
The Main Street program is currently structured as a quasi-public organization with a nonprofit board that has been inactive for more than a year, Thomas said.
Changing to a city-run organization can provide a more targeted focus and resources to the program and also keep it compliant. “A new advisory committee will be established to guide the program.”
In forming the advisory committee, Thomas said, “The people who did serve on the (old) board, we would love to hear from them.”
They would be required to fill out the new application form.
“We want to be able to provide as much transparency as possible,” Thomas said afterward. “That’s why we’re moving to a city appointed committee.”
In a statement today, Thomas said the committee will help shape the uptown and downtown areas of Roanoke Avenue, helping to foster growth, vitality, and opportunity in the community.
The advisory committee will be composed of seven voting members and will work collaboratively with city staff to advance economic development, historic preservation, and other community initiatives.
In an effort to foster the next generation of community leadership, one student representative, currently enrolled in grades 9–12 will serve in an advisory role. The student representative will require parental or guardian consent if under age 18.
“The city is committed to strengthening the Main Street program with strong community input, including business owners, nonprofit leaders, and residents,” Thomas said. “We encourage community members with a variety of life experiences and perspectives to apply to this opportunity.”
