The Wiscasset Historic Preservation Commission heard from Anne Ball of Main Street Maine on May 17. The organization helps communities bolster their downtowns visually, and in the types of businesses they have.

Maine has 10 Main Street communities and about two dozen associate ones. Ball said not all have the advantages Bath, the first Main Street community, had, with a willing landlord who took an active role in the process, but all have seen improvements.

The commission invited Main Street to speak to help get the town involved in working toward preservation downtown. Ball said preservation is important, but is not a focus of Main Street, whose goal is downtown economic development. The program helped Bath’s downtown thrive with businesses residents said they wanted, such as pet stores, bakeries, restaurants and toy stores.

Several challenges to Wiscasset’s membership in Main Street were noted. The program has dues and, given Wiscasset’s population, they would probably be $750 per year. A point person would probably be needed in town government and Wiscasset has no planner. Full membership would require a paid administrator with salary and benefits covered by business owners’ dues, and the owners would have to decide together about activities Main Street would support and advertise.

Ball said landlord participation is not required, but buildings’ fronts should be safe and tidy.

Finally, the MDOT project is moving forward by the end of the month. MDOT has said that it would delay evening construction on Art Walk nights,  but adding new evening events would not be likely until the end of construction.

John Reinhardt of the commission said the next step should probably be a discussion with selectmen and an attempt to impress upon them the need for a town planner for economic development.