The Seymour Main Street board of directors conducted its annual meeting, which was closed to the public due to coronavirus concerns, on Jan. 14 at Seymour City Hall.
Seymour Main Street was incorporated in 1999 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the mission “to plan, promote and preserve historic downtown Seymour, Indiana.”
The organization receives ongoing support from the city and the community. Currently, there are 114 members, which include individuals, businesses and other nonprofit agencies.
Following several reports from Brandon Hunsley and recognition from Executive Director Bri Roll for his tenure as outgoing board president and 10 years of service, the board unanimously elected the following officers for 2021: President, Melissa Acton; vice president, Tyler Thias; treasurer, Leah Branaman; and secretary, Melody Hageman.
The board’s remaining at-large members include Beth Veatch, Jim Noelker, Bethany Daugherty, Drew Storey, Ashley MacTavish, Anthony Walker, Monica Hartung, Kristen Goecker and Jason Bukowski.
The board also approved its $283,510 annual budget for calendar year ending Dec. 31.
Additionally, board chairs for the organization’s four committees — organization, economic vitality, design and promotions — shared their year-end reports and their 2021 work plans as they continue to make progress on the five-year strategic plan adopted by the board of directors in February 2018.
For 2020, Seymour Main Street reported total contributions of $312,011 to the organization (approximately $50,000 in donations were earmarked specifically for the park project located beside the John Mellencamp mural) and total expenses of $250,166.
Additionally, there were grants and loans totaling approximately $154,000 that were distributed throughout 2020 to downtown businesses and building owners for new signs, awnings and various façade and interior renovations.
It was further reported that 14 new businesses opened downtown in 2020 with four businesses closing, some due to the impacts of COVID-19.