State office praises Emporia Main Street
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 01:01 p.m., April 17, 2008
Updated 01:01 p.m., April 17, 2008
Emporia Main Street received a glowing report Wednesday in its year-end evaluation from a representative of its parent organization, Kansas Main Street.
Jeanne Stinson, Kansas Main Street state coordinator, talked with Kayla Oney, director of Emporia Main Street, about the results of the year-end evaluation of Emporia’s program. The evaluation process gives Kansas Main Street an opportunity to take a close look at Main Street organizations across Kansas and make some suggestions along the way, Stinson said.
In a press conference Wednesday morning at the Emporia Main Street office, Stinson said Emporia’s program is one of the strongest in Kansas. She said Emporia Main Street is active and puts a lot of effort into its programs.
“I think that’s just really exciting,” she said. “They’re really making a lot of efforts that are really going to have lasting impacts on the town.”
Stinson identified two key areas in which Emporia Main Street needs improvement — communication with businesses about the programs and services Main Street offers and further training.
The evaluation process is a long one. Stinson said the board of directors of the Main Street programs fills out a 14-page self-evaluation.
“They are really taking an in-depth look at their organization,” she said.
Each of the downtown businesses have blind surveys to fill out as well, Stinson said. These surveys are sent directly to the Kansas Main Street office. Emporia’s business surveys were mainly favorable.
“They are really satisfied with the kinds of work (Main Street) is doing,” Stinson said. “No one had huge concerns.”
Stinson said if she had to tell Emporia Main Street one thing regarding the results of the business surveys it would be to improve communication with constituents about Emporia Main Street.
As a part of improving each community’s Main Street program, Kansas Main Street tries to work with each program on its community level.
“Do we push? Absolutely,” she said. “It’s to really make sure we are challenging them.”
Oney said the recommended areas of improvement will be noted and will be incorporated in this year’s programming.
“We’re getting ready to kick off a new year,” she said, adding that there will be a board retreat to form goals for the next year and to incorporate those with Kansas Main Street’s suggestions.