MainStreet Dayton plans to brighten holiday season

photo The welcome archway on Main Street in Dayton, Tenn., will feature festive lighting, prior to the beginning of the 2012 holiday season. MainStreet Dayton leaders plan to use a portion of their state-funded revitalization grant money to purchase $15,000 in garland and wreath lighting for the 50 downtown lampposts and archway.

DAYTON, Tenn. -- Downtown holiday shoppers this year will find the streets more festive and brighter, according to MainStreet Dayton leaders.

The organization's board voted to use $15,000 in state-funded Courthouse Square Revitalization grant money to buy 50 double-faced lighted wreaths for downtown lampposts and some greenery for the welcoming archway that crosses Main Street.

At the beginning of the meeting, MainStreet Executive Director Anna Tromanhauser asked the board to consider using nearly $6,500 in grant money to purchase 25 wreaths for the lampposts that run from Main to Third streets.

The wreaths have a five-season guarantee, she said.

Randy Wells, MainStreet Dayton chairman, said that the funding expires "in September 2015 or 2016," and he asked about future purchases.

The board tabled the discussion on renewing the lighting once the guarantee expires.

In January, the board met with Marlin Waldorff, a small business adviser in Chattanooga, to discuss a list of resources that a business resource center would provide to new and existing businesses.

Jim Barth, chairman of the economic board, last week displayed the upcoming brochures for the resource center that officials will distribute later this year.

Wells proposed placing links to MainStreet Dayton's website on local bank and organization websites.

"Our members could link back to us," he said.

Also, three small-business seminars are scheduled at the Rhea County Welcome Center in Dayton.

The first seminar, Why Small Businesses Need Human Resources Too!, is set for Sept. 17. Other seminars are set for Oct. 8 and Nov. 19.

For more information, log onto www.MainStreet Dayton.org.

Kimberly McMillian is based in Rhea County. Contact her at kdj424@bellsouth.net.

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