MONROE - Main Street Monroe, Inc. is ready to set sail for its first full year as an independent organization, according to board members.
And now, after six months out on its own, after a year of reorganization efforts, Main Street Monroe has stated a two-month process of hiring an executive director.
"At this stage, we got our act together enough we can hire a director full-time," said Ron Spielman, board president.
Board members have been overseeing much of the directorship since releasing its previous director in July 2010. But Spielman said Main Street has been "missing the day-to-day coordination and attention to details" fulfilled by an executive director.
The Wisconsin Main Street program requires local organizations to have a full-time director. Monroe had been given a reprieve from that requirement during its reorganization efforts.
Spielman said Main Street Monroe is going to be building upon its 2011 successes.
Pirates on the Square is the theme of the organization's 2012 summer main event, and it follows in the wake of the Zoo on the Square theme last year.
"Zoo on the Square was a huge success, and said we are a viable organization," Spielman said. "We had enough volunteers and enough interest. Concerts on the Square was a huge success, and we're going to have even more concerts next year."
Monroe Main Street received "excellent feedback" from downtown businesses last year, according to Spielman and board member David Riese.
"Business owners said (2011) was the best summer, even the best year, they've had since being in business," Riese said.
Spielman pointed out that the successes of Main Street events last year came when the organization had no director and during summer-long road construction on 8th and 9th streets, Monroe's main corridor through town, which hampered access to downtown businesses.
"We ought to do better (this year)," he added.
The Main Street Monroe board set a budget of about $128,000 for 2012. The organization gets $25,000 from the City of Monroe and $32,500 from the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), both of which are raised through tax levies. The organization is required to raise the remaining funds through community donations.
The city's Visitor and Promotion board pre-approved $27,690 for Main Street to off-set advertising expenses - print, television, billboards and Internet. Spielman said that money was not an anticipated revenue in the 2012 budget. The Visitor and Promotions Board receives its funding through an added tax on hotel and motel rooms.
The new executive director's position will pay about $35,000 to $40,000, without health or retirement benefits. But the budget sets aside about $50,000 for the position to cover employer expenses, such as Social Security and unemployment insurance, as well as training and state program meeting expenses for the new director.
Pirates on the Square is expected to be a $25,000 project, supported by contributions.
Unlike in 2011, when Zoo on the Square contributors bought ownership of the carved, wooden animal exhibited on the Square, contributors this year will be able to help underwrite the cost of a carved pirate for as little as $25. A primary sponsor would pay $5,000.
Spielman said the new underwriter categories allow more people to contribute smaller amounts to the event and helps Monroe Main Street with an added source of income for next year.
"Underwriting is not to own, but we're then hoping to find another community that would like to do a 'Pirates on the Square' kind of event, and we could resell the exhibits, which would go toward 2013 fundraising," he said.
Besides the fierce, pierced, peg-legged and eye-patched pirates occupying the Square and a couple of crow's nests on light poles, the expected exhibits include a sinking ship on the Courthouse lawn. Treasure maps for kids and geocache games are also on the agenda for the summer.
Pirates on the Square is expected to open in mid-May and run until Labor Day. The exhibits will be removed in time for Cheese Days 2012 in September.
Concerts on the Square will add two more nights to its summer lineup. Eight outdoor concerts will be held this year, including two on Friday nights. Colony Brands underwrites Concerts on the Square.
The Monroe Main Street Initiative began in 2003 as a three-year program to promote Monroe's historical downtown commercial district around the Green County courthouse. The entire business district has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.
Monroe was selected for the Wisconsin Main Street program in July 2005. The Monroe Common Council renamed the program Monroe Main Street in October 2006 and extended it through December 2011. The organization was lead promoter and designer of a $4 million downtown reconstruction and streetscape project in 2009.
Out of that organization, Main Street Monroe, Inc. was created as a tax-exempt entity, separate from city government functions, in June 2011.
And now, after six months out on its own, after a year of reorganization efforts, Main Street Monroe has stated a two-month process of hiring an executive director.
"At this stage, we got our act together enough we can hire a director full-time," said Ron Spielman, board president.
Board members have been overseeing much of the directorship since releasing its previous director in July 2010. But Spielman said Main Street has been "missing the day-to-day coordination and attention to details" fulfilled by an executive director.
The Wisconsin Main Street program requires local organizations to have a full-time director. Monroe had been given a reprieve from that requirement during its reorganization efforts.
Spielman said Main Street Monroe is going to be building upon its 2011 successes.
Pirates on the Square is the theme of the organization's 2012 summer main event, and it follows in the wake of the Zoo on the Square theme last year.
"Zoo on the Square was a huge success, and said we are a viable organization," Spielman said. "We had enough volunteers and enough interest. Concerts on the Square was a huge success, and we're going to have even more concerts next year."
Monroe Main Street received "excellent feedback" from downtown businesses last year, according to Spielman and board member David Riese.
"Business owners said (2011) was the best summer, even the best year, they've had since being in business," Riese said.
Spielman pointed out that the successes of Main Street events last year came when the organization had no director and during summer-long road construction on 8th and 9th streets, Monroe's main corridor through town, which hampered access to downtown businesses.
"We ought to do better (this year)," he added.
The Main Street Monroe board set a budget of about $128,000 for 2012. The organization gets $25,000 from the City of Monroe and $32,500 from the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), both of which are raised through tax levies. The organization is required to raise the remaining funds through community donations.
The city's Visitor and Promotion board pre-approved $27,690 for Main Street to off-set advertising expenses - print, television, billboards and Internet. Spielman said that money was not an anticipated revenue in the 2012 budget. The Visitor and Promotions Board receives its funding through an added tax on hotel and motel rooms.
The new executive director's position will pay about $35,000 to $40,000, without health or retirement benefits. But the budget sets aside about $50,000 for the position to cover employer expenses, such as Social Security and unemployment insurance, as well as training and state program meeting expenses for the new director.
Pirates on the Square is expected to be a $25,000 project, supported by contributions.
Unlike in 2011, when Zoo on the Square contributors bought ownership of the carved, wooden animal exhibited on the Square, contributors this year will be able to help underwrite the cost of a carved pirate for as little as $25. A primary sponsor would pay $5,000.
Spielman said the new underwriter categories allow more people to contribute smaller amounts to the event and helps Monroe Main Street with an added source of income for next year.
"Underwriting is not to own, but we're then hoping to find another community that would like to do a 'Pirates on the Square' kind of event, and we could resell the exhibits, which would go toward 2013 fundraising," he said.
Besides the fierce, pierced, peg-legged and eye-patched pirates occupying the Square and a couple of crow's nests on light poles, the expected exhibits include a sinking ship on the Courthouse lawn. Treasure maps for kids and geocache games are also on the agenda for the summer.
Pirates on the Square is expected to open in mid-May and run until Labor Day. The exhibits will be removed in time for Cheese Days 2012 in September.
Concerts on the Square will add two more nights to its summer lineup. Eight outdoor concerts will be held this year, including two on Friday nights. Colony Brands underwrites Concerts on the Square.
The Monroe Main Street Initiative began in 2003 as a three-year program to promote Monroe's historical downtown commercial district around the Green County courthouse. The entire business district has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.
Monroe was selected for the Wisconsin Main Street program in July 2005. The Monroe Common Council renamed the program Monroe Main Street in October 2006 and extended it through December 2011. The organization was lead promoter and designer of a $4 million downtown reconstruction and streetscape project in 2009.
Out of that organization, Main Street Monroe, Inc. was created as a tax-exempt entity, separate from city government functions, in June 2011.