Bill West of the Telegram just wrote an article about Chairman Garland Jones and the Central City Revitalization Panel. https://rockymounttelegram-nc.newsmemory.com/?token=439b224d7807094a61fe5af4121ef673_64934cac_d0_0 Bill takes the lead in bringing important news to us. He doesn’t miss much and his reporting prompted this blog. I’ve known for a long time how important CCRP is to downtown. I don’t think they quite realize what a source of influence they can be when they step up and flex their vocal and leadership muscles. I hope this group continues to grow enabling them to become more bold when championing issues that are imperative to Main Street.
The group’s mission statement supports revitalization. They talk the Main Street language of improvements and preservation within the central city boundaries of the City of Rocky Mount.
Mission
“Serve the citizens and its Council by educating, advocating, and energizing investment in Downtown Rocky Mount.”
CCRP came on my radar screen because on their website they list: MAIN STREET PROGRAM. I hope you know by now that the Main Street program emphasizes economic development within the context of historic preservation. https://downtownrockymount.com/business-development/central-city-revitalization-panel/
I’ve written many times about this successful program. I attended a fabulous conference in New Bern, I’ve been honored as a Main Street Champion, I have traveled to see the positive effects the program has had in Elizabeth City, Tarborro, Goldsboro, New Bern, and Henderson. When John Jesso was with us he worked tirelessly to first affiliate and then earn Rocky Mount’s accrediation with the program. I’m easily distracted over this subject so I will list 2 links to Blog posts about this important relationship rather than take words away from Garland Jones and Committee. (Jones and others were at the 2023 annual N.C. Main Street conference in Statesville.)
The website tells us CCRP is about enhancing the visual quality of the downtown. Attention is given to environment elements – not just buildings and storefronts but also public improvements, rear entries, signs, landscaping, window displays and graphic materials. This is a lot to say grace over and more participation is needed to ensure that this dedicated group stays the course. The more respect and influence they garner the more they become like a green light that switches to yellow for the City Council. We could do with less singing of Sinatra’s song, “I did it my way.”
Do you think people still have heroes? I will list some of mine. Mike Ditka, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, all with the Chicago Bears. Michael Jordon and the Chicago Bulls. Political junkie that I am, I’ve spent time admiring (Father)George and Barbara Bush, James Baker, the young Republican men who came to Washington at the same time; John Tower of TX. and James Baker of TN. Senator John Sherman Cooper of KY. and Reagan, of course. I wanted Colin Powell to run for President. There are others from different walks of life. I have heroes today and one of them is Garland Jones.
Using a heroes words, Jones told City Manager Keith Rogers Jr. that downtown is filling up with too many bars and clubs. “That’s not a good balance for your downtown. You’ve got to be mindful of all of these people who will be coming into your downtown to live — and the people coming to your city to visit.”
My favorite words of wisdom from Jones to Manager Rogers are,
“Make sure that downtown is being developed so the heart of Rocky Mount is for everybody and that everybody wants to be there.”
Go right ahead and applaud, I did. And thank you, Bill West for chronicling this meeting.
CCRP should be involved with the vetting and selection of the new Downtown Develop Manager. After all, it is their music the drum should beat for. Simply moving the deck chairs on the Titanic again will not be acceptable. We need a trained, completely knowledgable person versed in The Main Street Program to catch up with the success the cities I mentioned above have accomplished. It is a shame the Program was sabotaged in Rocky Mount.
Main Street Rocky Mount 