Batavia MainStreet adding staff, programs

The Batavia MainStreet group will add staff and programs with extra funding from the city.

The city council approved a contract with the group on Monday spelling out specific programs and initiatives it wants the group to undertake in exchange for an increase of funding from $30,000 to $75,000 for 2008.

The council had already approved the funding in its budget for this year.

With the additional funds, the group will hire a part-time staff member and add programs, Executive Director Britta McKenna said.

The group will start a branding campaign for downtown businesses, do more marketing and produce materials and informational brochures for businesses interested in Batavia, McKenna said.

The group will also take over running the quarterly art walks downtown.

"This allows MainStreet to move up a notch," McKenna said.

She also noted that when bridge construction is finished, the group will have to start paying rent. The group is now headquartered in the Thomle building downtown -- space it rents from the city for $1. In exchange for the space, MainStreet volunteers rehabbed the building after it was condemned several years ago. The group was to use the space until bridge construction was over.

Originally, the increase in funding was planned to come from a downtown special taxing area. But downtown business owners strongly opposed the idea that would raise $73,000 annually, noting that with bridge construction, it couldn't come at a worse time for them.

The city might bring the idea for the taxing area back after the bridge is finished. The contract approved Monday covers only the 2008 year.