BAXLEY BETTER HOMETOWN

RECEIVES NATIONAL MAIN STREET ACCREDITATION

The efforts of Pam Wiggins and the Baxley Better Hometown Committee over the past year has earned the program recognition for commercial district revitalization by meeting standards for performance set by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. The Baxley Better Hometown is one of only 625 other Main Street revitalization programs nationally recognized as 2006 Accredited National Main Street Programs.

"The National Accreditation means the Main Street program is meeting our national standards of performance for what a Main Street program should be doing," said Doug Loescher, director of the National Trust's Main Street Center. "The organizations we name each year as National Main Street Programs are those that have demonstrated the skills needed to succeed in Main Street revitalization".

The annual accreditation process evaluates commercial district revitalization programs based on criteria ranging from having an active board of directors and paid professional manager to tracking economic progress and preserving historic Main Street buildings.

"Rebuilding a district's economic health and maintaining that success requires broad-based community involvement, active support from both the public and private sectors, and sound management," said Loescher. "Having a solid organization at the foundation of that revitalization effort is so important to long term success". The organization's performance was evaluated by Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which is the Coordinating organization for Main Street programs in Georgia.      

Pictured receiving the 2006 Main Street Award are Mayor Steve Rigdon and City Manager Jeff Baxley.