DOWNTOWN GRAY
The Gray Downtown Development Authority is wrapping up the year with repairs and updates and looking toward the 2024 budget.
The Oct. 9 meeting was called to order by Chairman Sherri Rollins, and the first item of business was the financial report. Main Street Gray Director and DDA recording secretary Ashley Roberson reported that the bank balance was $123,641.
Rollins added that the budget was looking good.
“We should close the year as expected and need to start working on the 2024 budget next month,” she said.
The chairman asked for the marketing report for Butler Hall, and Roberson said three events were scheduled for November and nine for December. The director said she already had 15 events scheduled for 2024 and one for 2025.
DDA member Bert King told Roberson he was thrilled with the job she was doing.
Rollins commented that there was no commercial space to rent or purchase in Gray.
“This is at a time when many small towns are boarded up,” she said.
The chairman said the Butler Hall parking lot had been repaired, and she met with a consultant about the window treatments and awnings for the Butler Hall building.
Rollins had discussed the need for the window treatments and awnings at the previous meeting as a means to help control the temperature inside the building. She said she hoped to have quotes for the project next month.
She also brought up the need to upgrade some of the patio furniture at the venue. Rollins explained that the current patio furniture had been donated when the building was renovated to stay within budget.
“We may want to look at some new furniture when we look at next year’s budget,” she said.
Next on the agenda were repairs for the buildings at 119 and 121 W. Clinton St. She said plaster in the buildings needed repair and noted that old plaster crumbles.
Rollins suggested looking at using green board and refinishing it so it would last longer. She said she did not have a quote for the repairs, but the work needs to be done.
“Timing is critical for the tenants with Christmas coming. We need to talk to them and might need to wait until after the holidays,” she said.
In her Main Street report, Roberson said the last Friday on Main event is scheduled Oct. 27. She said the plan is to show the movie “Hocus Pocus II.” The director said the first “Hocus Pocus” movie would be shown at the Not So Scary Grayberry Spectacular, Oct. 21.
Roberson said the Hometown Christmas Market was scheduled Nov. 25, which is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. She said she put the notice out last Friday and already had 45 vendors sign up.
Roberson said the layout would be the same as last year with Santa in the Main Street Station building. She said it was possible the Grinch would be coming.
The director asked to use Butler Hall for the event, and DDA members agreed.
“This is a great way to kick off the Christmas season,” Rollins said.
Roberson said the landscaping for the downtown streetscape looked great since the street had been paved and striped and the fall foliage planted in the beds.
The director said she was waiting for proposals for the lighting for the expanded streetscape and is looking into grants to help fund the project.
Rollins spoke about the recent attempt to erect a 250-foot tower downtown for a cell phone company.
“The tower was proposed for financial reasons, and I want to commend the city council for opposing it and supporting the city’s design guidelines,” she said.
The chairman went on to say that the city is seeing a lot of activity with small businesses.
King commented that events such as the recent Bible Readings were good for the city.
Rollins added that the new paving of the streetscape looks great, and clean up was done at the crossing.
The next meeting of the DDA is scheduled Nov. 13.
