City Council OKs new Main Street contract

The Pittsburg City Council at a special called meeting May 29 approved a new contract between the City of Pittsburg and the Texas Main Street Program.

The contract is typically renewed at the beginning of the year, but City Manager Clint Hardeman told the council that Main Street had just recently sent the contract to the City for approval.

“This is an annual contract between the city and the state this allows the City of Pittsburg to continue participation in the Main Street Program,” Hardeman told the Council. Council member David Abernathy commented on the significantly longer length of the 16-page document. “Ninety percent of this tells you what you can’t do. I’m not going to vote against it, but (there should be) a way to streamline this,” Abernathy said. The council members agreed but passed the measure unanimously. While there are many restrictions and requirements the City must adhere to as a Texas Main Street City, Hardeman said following the meeting the City has participated in the program since 1986. “It’s a good program for our office to help local businesses and to help generate business, and I think it’s good for the community and historic preservation,” he said. The requirements include having a designated staff member overseeing the program. “You have to have a fulltime employee you have to have a budget for that office, and we have both,” Hardeman said. With Niecy Baum now in place as the new Community Development Coordinator and Main Street Manager, she will have to get up to speed on the Main Street Program rules. “You have to have that employee plugged into multiple trainings throughout the year, which they provide, and that benefits the employee,” Hardeman said. He said all new Main Street Managers must attend training specifically for new hires. “Since this is a new contract, there will also be two other trainings she will be required to participate in every year,” he said.