Business leaders discuss revitalizing downtown

WORLAND — About two dozen community business leaders gathered Saturday in the back of Main Street Style & Trends to discuss ways to promote events for youth and to revitalize the downtown area for Worland.

Main Street Style & Trends owner Sabrina McClain said she talked with Mayor Jim Gill a few weeks ago with two main concerns that eventually led to the Saturday morning meeting — an empty Main Street and nothing to keep our youth in the community after graduating from high school.

She said she has heard comments from people around town telling the youth to get out after graduation because there is nothing here for them. She said she chose to live in Worland and those comments are disconcerting.

“I hear a lot of complaining but no one taking any active steps,” McClain said.

She said one of the issues in the city of attracting new businesses is the overall, general negative attitude throughout the community.

Other owners agreed with one cautioning that when an owner or employee is complaining about the community inside their store, someone looking to relocate may hear them and make a decision to not move to Worland because of the negative comments.

Angela Leone said, “We not only need to be business friendly but community friendly and right now there is no pride in our community. That reflects how we feel about our community and how we spend our money.”

Darr Lea Walker said, “You have to like where you live. If people are not supporting what’s here now they won’t support new businesses.”

McClain said she has been going through the city’s master plan approved in 2015 and a lot of the concerns and complaints are outlined in the master plan, with some action items but the city is not making progress on the action items.

The Worland Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission was originally tasked with working through the 20-page matrix of goals in the Worland Master Plan. The board recently attended a council work session asking them how they wanted the BAPC to proceed, if the goals should be prioritized, if the BAPC continues to work on the goals, noting that some goals other organizations are addressing.

The BAPC attempted to achieve one major goal of becoming an Affiliated Wyoming Main Street community. The council approved a resolution in August 2015 authorizing the city to participate in the program. In April 2016 the city, along with Lusk, was named an aspiring Wyoming Main Street. In a press release at the time, Wyoming Main Street Program Manager Linda Klinck said,  “The idea behind the new aspiring category for Main Street communities is that successful programs need many things in place before they start.” Under the program Worland would have been eligible for training and planning grants through Wyoming Main Street.

In September 2017, the Worland City Council, on a recommendation from the BAPC, officially withdrew as an aspiring city.

Former BAPC member Terry Sutherland had been organizing the Aspiring Main Street Committee and after he resigned to focus on his business the BAPC was unable to find anyone to come forward to take on the project.

There was discussion with the council and BAPC at the recent work session to re-evaluate the goals each year but no specific decisions or directions were given to the BAPC.

ABANDONED STOREFRONTS

Specific things the group wanted addressed by the council were ways to force landowners of empty main street business to keep their buildings looking attractive to potential renters or buyers; and to do something with the property on Big Horn and Seventh that has boarded up windows. One business owner was concerned owners of other empty buildings would do the same thing, making the empty main street look even worse.

Mayor Gill mentioned that current business owners also need to take ownership in the appearance of downtown. He noted the downtown improvement district project 20 years ago provided trees to the downtown area and new decorated sidewalks. The hope, he said, was that the businesses would take care of the trees.

Cathy Orchard said the empty businesses have an impact on whether people stop, but noted people will go in “attractive, nice-looking shops,” encouraging all businesses to make sure their storefronts are clean and attractive.

Mandy Weaver said another issue with filling the empty main street storefronts is that the rent is cost prohibitive, noting that some home-based businesses would benefit from a main street presence but are unable to afford the rental and utility cots.

Gill said he wants to stay on the business-friendly side of the landowners and that the city does not have a lot of influence.

McClain said, however, that every empty building on main street impacts the open businesses. “Maybe there needs to be a little push from the city.”

Randy Adams, City of Worland building official, said the city cannot tell business owners what to do with their property until they become so dilapidated that the city has to start abatement procedures.

He added, “I came back to [work for] the city because I want to help. I want to make Worland grow.”

There was also concern because one of the landowners is a contracted employee with the city.

Sammi McKinnon said some of the landowners get frustrated with fixing up property for one business only to have the business shut down after a few months, and then another renter wants it fixed up to suit their needs and then they may close after a few months.

To address some of the needs, Adams encouraged the business owners to come before the council with their suggestions.

IDEAS

Keeping in mind the idea of finding solutions, Mandy Weaver suggested the City of Worland get a Facebook page where all activities around the community could be promoted.

“It’s an easy way to build a sense of community,” she said.

She added that the city’s website should also be revamped to help let visitors and prospective businesses know what the community has to offer.

YOUTH

Regarding youth activities, it was noted businesses need to be volunteers as well, noting activities many businesses have sponsored including Jay’s Detail with the Wyoming State Giant Pumpkin Contest and RT Communications Trim-A-Tree project and lighting ceremony coming in November.

Business owners also wondered about recruiting trade schools to help students who are not going to college.

For activity ideas there was suggestions about a weekly dance or establishing a teen center.

Regardless of the activities, whether for youth or the entire community, those gathered emphasized that the community and businesses need to come out in support the events that are offered.