With the expected resignation of its recently-appointed director, officials from the Sumrall Main Street Association are looking for a new leader to guide the continuing growth in the city, particularly in its downtown area.
Tony Pflaum, who serves as president of the organization, said Bethy Aycox – who was named director on Feb. 20 – is expected to hand in her resignation letter this week, after being offered a full-time position at another company. Pflaum is currently looking for her replacement, and hopes to have the position filled within the next 30 days.
“Two weeks would be better – it needs to be as quickly as possible, because we’ve got a lot of projects going on in town,” he said. “If we don’t have a Main Street director, that means that falls back on myself and my committee, and we all have full-time jobs. So it would be helpful to re-fill that position rather quickly.”
Pflaum has already gathered a couple of applications for the position, and is being helped in his search by the Mississippi Main Street Association. Applications and resumes are still being accepted, and can be dropped off at Plum Trophy Sales at 4882 Mississippi 589 in Sumrall.
Preferably, applicants would have a background in an area such as finance, real estate or sales and marketing, although those qualifications are not absolutely necessary.
“The main thing we’re looking for is an outgoing personality, excitement about the town of Sumrall, and enthusiasm for seeing Sumrall grow and being able to bring new businesses to town,” Pflaum said. “Our main focus is refurbishing downtown and bringing some new businesses to town, and working with businesses we have here already.
“We’re hoping we get that position filled quickly, because there’s a lot of projects going on downtown, and we need somebody to spearhead that for us.”
During a ceremony last month, Sumrall was designated a Mississippi Main Street community by the Mississippi Main Street Association, becoming one of approximately 20 Mississippi Main Street communities throughout the state. With that designation, city officials hope to preserve Sumrall’s heritage while building on its steadily-growing commercial and downtown district.
“This is a historic event for the Town of Sumrall,” Mayor Heath Sumrall said at the ceremony. “Over the years past, we’ve had many organizations that have tried to establish a similar group to upgrade the downtown area, and to work to improve the town, but for one reason or another, those groups have never been able to follow through.
“But now, we have something the town’s going to support; budget-wise, the town can put money into this. It is an organization that we are proud to be a member of, and we hope to see great things from this.”
The Mississippi Main Street Association uses what is known as “The Main Street Approach,” which is centered around four transformation strategies: economic vitality, design, promotion and organization. Those strategies are informed by an understanding of local and regional market data, as well as sustained and inclusive community engagement.
The community-based Main Street Approach is aimed at revitalization efforts that helps small towns get started with that process and grows with them over time.
“We’re looking forward to the designers, architects and engineers coming in and doing the study of the downtown area,” Sumrall said. “They’re going to be looking at all the historic buildings and making suggestions as to what they would do to preserve the different buildings and improving aesthetics of the buildings.
“From what I understand, they’ll also try to help us find funding for those businesses, so if someone needs some grants to get work done. A lot of those businesses, it’s going to cost a lot to do that.”
