(3/18) At its March 14 meeting, the City Council introduced an ordinance to name an official Main Street Advisory Board next month.

Taneytown is a part of Main Street Maryland and National Main Street City USA program. The city had a Main Street Advisory Board in the past which operated largely independent of the city council, with the economic development director acting as the Main Street Manager.

The ordinance creates a new Main Street Board of Directors as an official Board of the city, which was not done previously, he said. Economic Development Director Jay Meashey.

The ordinance details how members and the chair are appointed, as well as terms of office and criteria.

The purpose of Main Street Advisory Boards is to strengthen the economic potential of tiny towns walkable central business district which is geographically defined in accordance with the determination of the Maryland Department of Housing and community development and to promote the purposes of the Maryland Main Street program.

Boards looks for members who are stakeholders in the downtown area including residents, property owners, or representatives of a business.

Main Street America is a nationwide historic preservation project designed to revitalize the historic business districts of small towns. Main Street Taneytown has been a partner of Main Street Maryland and Main Street America since 2002. The Main Street Taneytown Advisory Committee spreads the word of happenings and works to encourage and support businesses in the historic downtown.

The mission of Main Street Taneytown is designed to promote the economic vitality of business in the downtown area of Taneyttown. Approximately 25 businesses make up the downtown area.

Owning a business in downtown presents unique challenges including parallel parking and maintaining store fronts, Meashey said. The Advisory Board will be tasked with looking to alleviate those challenges in any way they can, he said. Through the Main Street Board, the town will work with business owners to establish programs and funding to meet their needs.

Board members will be tasked with seeking out the needs of Main Street stakeholders and offering guidance to the Main Street manager the City Council on the six most crucial aspects of downtown business, including: design, promotion, economic vitality, organization, arts and entertainment, and clean and green.

While Main Street board members do not need to be residents of the city, the majority of the seven-member Board will be made up of people that live work or own property in the Main Street area.

Main Street 2.0, as it is being called, is being reignited to serve the community, but held "a little closer to the chest. " "That way we are a little more cognizant of what it’s doing, particularly the financial side of things," Mayor Bradley Wantz said.

More information about Main Street Taneytown can be found at mainstreettaneytown.com.