Todd Kuhns on City Council

Tonight I attended a meeting of the Downtown Improvement Committee. The DREAM Initiative and all its details were outlined for us. Basically, the DREAM initiative was awarded to the city by Governor Blunt. It’s a state-sponsored program to help guide our downtown improvement process both procedurally and financially. They send a professional contractor here to conduct studies of our downtown district, survey and poll the populace for attitudes toward the downtown, plan out goals and milestones for improvement, and draft up an organizational structure for us to make it all happen. They will give us a much needed structure - and contribute 80% of the funds to carry it out.

Tonight, the TIF Commission (the Tax Incremented Financing district that pays for this stuff) basically approached the group to get a philosophical commitment to the initiative and a pledge of 10% of their contribution - basically, $4,500 of the $45,000 that the state is requiring us to contribute. They wanted to make sure the business owners had a stake in this, and the committee agreed to it. All the business owners who make up the committee should be applauded for taking this brave first step of faith to commit to this plan and pledge their financial support over the next three years.

What an asset we have in the historic downtown square! With its eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, movie theater and park area, it can so easily be that comfortable, cozy, small-town place to hang out and relax that we all want it to be. If we continue to move forward and stick with the downtown improvement plan drawn up in 2004, I think the DREAM initiative is going to be a great thing if we buckle down together and use it to its fullest potential. We just need to band together - working WITH the downtown business owners - to make it happen.

We can be SO MUCH MORE! If you take a walk around other small-town squares that have already finished revitalization processes like we are currently in the midst of, you know what I’m talking about - lots of clean, attractive walkway and bike racks that encourage pedestrians and cyclists to come out; benches for sitting; spaced out green areas, with trees for shade; store fronts that look modern and attractive, while still retaining that old-town look and architecture. Just one glance at the concept photos in the Downtown Improvement Plan will give you an idea of what is possible by just shining up and showcasing what we already have.

It’s going to be an interesting three years and I’m really thrilled to see this process move forward. Only by working together can we make this succeed - and, when it does, everyone is going to benefit. We just have to keep up this spirit of cooperation that I saw on display tonight. What an exciting time to be living in Kirksville!