Dr. Bridgette Powers’ office (Meade County Chiropractic & Rehab) is located on Broadway. She is currently a chamber board member having served 2 years as President and a founding member of the Young Leaders. The Young Leaders has been an effective chamber tool for gathering young people together, committed to making a difference in their community. While volunteering on different projects they have been key in identifying and communicating issues that are important for the future of the region.
Many of you may remember that I moved here with experience in the Kentucky Heritage Councils Main Street program, having been the director in another Kentucky county. Cities and restructuring have always been a passion for me and to listen to the desires for change and restructuring from Dr. Powers has brought me to visualize the potential for Broadway. I believe our future in revitalization must include, if not start, with Broadway. It is the gateway to our downtown, our access to our riverfront and our first impression of our town of Brandenburg. It has the “bones” for growth. It has available buildings, parking and is an established business district. There is space for rent and purchase, land for infill building, and it is out of reach of the Ohio River.
The Young Leaders are instrumental in moving new ideas and goals forward. Property owners are encouraged to work with these entrepreneurial spirits. Start small and grow together, to build more retail on Broadway. Move the residential spaces to the top floors and businesses into the sidewalk spaces. The Main Street Program is a no frills plan for revitalizing downtowns with four basic principles – Design, Economic Restructuring, Organization and Promotion. I was taught to have a plan and work the plan one day at a time. We have been tackling organization and promotion for the past 5 years in the chamber office.
The chamber has been a key part of organizing our people, events, businesses and volunteers. Sharing of information is the first step to building our future. Organization establishes consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups that have a stake in the commercial district, by getting everyone working toward the same goal.
The Young Leaders want to be involved in the promotion of the Broadway and Main Street business district; so does the Chamber, will you? As a business or property owner will you help us to promote towards the goal to create a positive image that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in our commercial district? That is the next step – will you be a part of growing our small business future by participating?
Thank You
Carole Logsdon, Executive Director Meade County Chamber of Commerce