Fort Smith board approves funding for Main Street program

A discussion Tuesday (Feb. 3) during the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting about funding Main Street Fort Smith turned into somewhat of a brag fest about the nonprofit’s ongoing and planned efforts to improve the downtown area.

At issue was a board vote to approve an agreement with Main Street for $150,000 a year – $12,500 a month – that began in 2023. The vote was initially set for Jan. 20, but Director Neal Martin wanted to review the organization and its programs and plans in a study session.

Main Street Executive Director Amanda Hager provided a presentation about the organization during a Jan. 27 board study session.

According to its website, Main Street Fort Smith “is a nonprofit committed to creating vibrant spaces in downtown Fort Smith through business development, arts and culture, special events, and the promotion of attractive amenities to accelerate development of diverse commerce.”

Main Street Arkansas is a program within the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. It was established in 1984 to support Arkansas’ traditionally commercial areas. At the state level, Main Street Arkansas offers consultation services including interior and exterior design help, small business advice and grant opportunities to its members.

Stephanie Nugent, head of the separate Downtown Fort Smith Business Association, said she works with Hager and said Main Street is vital to helping create, manage, and coordinate efforts to improve the downtown and bring more people to downtown events and businesses.

“We should approve this because she is directly helping businesses downtown,” Nugent said, adding that a planned incubator program “will be huge” for the area.

Jessie Burrows, a downtown property and business owner, and member of the Main Street Fort Smith board, also told the board that Main Street has had and continues to have a positive impact on downtown Fort Smith.

Phil White, a downtown property owner and developer with many downtown projects under his belt, said Main Street has been and continues to be a good partner with the Central Business Improvement District (CBID), a semiautonomous governing body involved in efforts to enhance downtown Fort Smith and work with groups engaged in promoting and developing the downtown area. White is a CBID commissioner.

“They do a great job,” White said of Main Street. “They work with us. We’re partners. We have the same goals, and the same objectives, but there are different paths on how you get there. We need them. We need that program and I hope y’all support it.”

Main Street has collaborated with the CBID on downtown improvement efforts. Specifically, Main Street and the CBID will share the costs of a downtown growth and grants specialist. Efforts the shared employee will help support includes a small business incubator Main Street Fort Smith is working to launch, according to Hager. She said the incubator program “is not reinventing the wheel” because it has been tried, tested and adjusted by other Main Street programs nationwide.

Hager has said the employee also will help both organizations get detailed information about downtown property, businesses, business activity and other information “that can really be a resource to Realtors, to developers, and to property and business owners that may be coming in.”

Director Jarred Rego praised the program, saying “I adamantly believe downtown would be worse off” without organizations like Main Street Fort Smith. Director Lee Kemp also expressed support, saying what Main Street does is “very important for placemaking” in the downtown area.

The board would vote 6-1 to approve the funding, with Director Christina Catsavis abstaining.