Members of the community are invited to the first Elkins ON TRAC town hall meeting, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. July 26 at the Railyard Restaurant.
The town hall meeting is an opportunity for ON TRAC participants to share news with each other and the community. The downtown revitalization project has made considerable progress recently, said Karen Carper, ON TRAC liaison.
"We have gained a lot of momentum from the excitement of the participants and support of the community," Carper said.
Nearly 50 volunteers are now serving on the Board of Directors and committees, and others participate in special projects. The committees include design, economic restructuring, promotion and organization.
Carper said many committee members have requested a chance to "catch up" with those serving on other committees. Each of the four committees serves a very specific purpose in the broad-based project. Committee members need to communicate with each other to understand how their part integrates with the whole project, she said.
The open community meeting also will help the group reach others, such as downtown business owners and local residents, who have expressed an interest in the project.
"It's a kind of who's who and what's up event to help everyone get acquainted with the project and each other," she said.
A brief overview of the ON TRAC program will be presented to help answer questions about its purpose and direction. The benefits of Main Street designation and ON TRAC's progress toward meeting that goal will be discussed. Each of the four committee chairs will make a short presentation on recent accomplishments and goals for the coming months.
Carper hopes the town hall meeting will provide needed interaction between project participants and the community.
"Public input and feedback on the project are always encouraged," she said. "Not everyone has the time to serve on the board or a committee, but it is very important for us to hear from members of the community as we go forward."
The town hall meeting will be held on the second floor of the restaurant, located on the Elkins Railyard. Nonalcoholic beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be served during the event. A cash bar will be available.
The West Virginia ON TRAC (Organization, Training, Revitalization and Capacity) program was created by Main Street West Virginia to assist West Virginia communities in their efforts to boost economic and community growth. Elkins was designated an ON TRAC community in January 2009.
Elkins ON TRAC is supported by the city of Elkins, the Randolph County Commission and the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce. For more information, anyone interested can email info@elkinsontrac.org or find Elkins ON TRAC on Facebook.
