On-TRAC

On-TRAC Assessment Team Visits Sistersville

The On-TRAC assessment team visited Sistersville on July 13th and 14th. The

team consisted of: (pictured from left to right) Delphine Coffey, WV ON TRAC Program Coordinator, Charles Humphreys, from the Main Street Program of Point Pleasant, Mike Gioulis, Historic Preservation Design Consultant; and Lauren Adkins, Assistant Director for Field Services, National Trust ON TRAC Center.

Some of the positive comments the team offered at the end of their visit came from Mr. Humphreys. He is designated as the ON TRAC Mentor for Sistersville and is working closely with us. Charlie said that Sistersville is “one of the highest potential cities on Ohio River.” Mr. Humphreys was instrumental in the success of Point Pleasant, also on the Ohio River, as a Main Street community. He stated that most cities have a trail of some sort, and Sistersville’s walking trail has a beautiful layout that rivals the trail in Point Pleasant. He made mention that the town itself is “walkable.” “You have so much. It’s unlimited what you can do, “ he said. He mentioned the architecture, the commercial buildings, the oil and gas history, and other factors. Charlie went on to say Point Pleasant's Main Street program started in the hole by -$48. But through hard work and citizen involvement, they overcame the lack of funds and have attracted in the neighborhood of $7 million dollars in outside investment. They didn't have money. They had an idea, a common vision and a plan. With the involvement of the local citizens they were able to promote the area, increase the number of businesses and develop their water front.

Sistersville has the potential and the ideal location to be part of the Ohio River Heritage Trail. It is a developing byway connecting cultural and historical sites along both sides of the Ohio River. In West Virginia, the Heritage Trail will start in Huntington, transverse Point Pleasant, with plans to link up to Wheeling and Wierton. Parkersburg recently received a grant for $12 million to upgrade their riverfront, which will make it a desirable stop along the trail. The Sistersville Riverfront Development Project can do the same for our area. As Charlie said, “You’ve got what it takes. Mostly what you need is cooperation.”

So it was encouraging to see the diverse turnout at the July 13 Dessert/Social to meet the ON TRAC Assessment Team. The event drew a cross-section of attendees from long-standing business owners like Bob Wable and John Eckles to Beri Fox, several members of the Artisan Coop, Fran Caldwell representing Tyler/Wetzel Artslink, long-term residents like Marilyn Cline representing Union Bank, newbies such as Laurie and Steve Klarman, plus a quite a few other interested Sistersville residents.

After the Assessment Team’s presentation, residents had the chance to express their thoughts about Sistersville - past, present and future. The ideas gathered gave the assessors the information they need to effectively integrate the town peoples’ wishes as well as grievances. The team also received input at meetings with Eric Peters, the Planning Commission, Mayor Dave Fox and City Council, personnel at Sistersville General Hospital, business owners and property owners. The Sistersville ON TRAC Steering Committee will receive copies of the WV ON TRAC Assessment Team's report in approximatley eight weeks

The steering committee is currently being formed under the direction of newly designated ON TRAC liaison, Karen Mercer. The baton of leadership has been passed from Al Tuttle as the project’s original liaison, after his concentrated efforts during the past number of months. He and Chris Hoke have given their all to the project and we are much obliged. Persons interested in actively participating with ON TRAC should call Karen at 304-652-3607. We look forward to the gradual and continual steps toward progress in our promising community.

Sistersville, along with 13 other West Virginia communities, has been chosen as the state's first-ever designated ON TRAC Community, Gov. Joe Manchin announced during a news conference February 18, 2009 at the Governor's Mansion in Charleston

ON TRAC an acronym for Organization, Training, Revitalization and Capacity is a new program created by Main Street West Virginia to help communities boost economic growth with evaluation, education and networking resources.

To be eligible for ON TRAC, a community must be located within an incorporated area, served by downtown infrastructure and resources and have a sponsoring organization. Sistersville was sponsored by Tyler Revitalization and the Sistersville Heritage Foundation.

In a letter addressed to the "Citizens of Sistersville," Department of Commerce Secretary Kelley Goes praised the city for making the lucky 13. "I would like to express my warmest congratulations for being selected as a 2009 West Virginia ON TRAC Community," said Goes. "The Sistersville Heritage Foundation and Tyler Revitalization organizations have taken an important first step to achieve the mission of boosting economic vitality in the heart of your neighborhood by joining the West Virginia Development Office ON TRAC Program."

Communities selected for ON TRAC will receive training in downtown and neighborhood revitalization, an assessment of strengths and weaknesses, a technical design visit, action-planning services, access to an online library of databases and resources, telephone consultation, scholarship and grant information, and participation in a mentoring program.

"ON TRAC illustrates one way the residents of this state have pulled together to improve the quality of life and business opportunities in their respective communities," Gov. Joe Manchin said in a release. "This program helps towns get 'ON TRAC' to revitalization by capitalizing on the history and the resources of the community itself."

According to data from the West Virginia Development Office, a community's central business district often accounts for as much as 30 percent of its jobs and 40 percent of its tax base.

ON TRAC is the precursor to becoming a fully designated Main Street Community; participants must be an ON TRAC Community for at least two years before applying to become a Main Street Community. However, unlike the Main Street program, ON TRAC Communities are not required to set up 501c3 nonprofit organizations or hire staff, said Main Street West Virginia Coordinator Monica Miller in a release.