West Jefferson Village Council continues to work toward economic development in the area by joining Heritage Ohio.
Heritage Ohio is the Statewide Main Street Coordinating Program in Ohio, which aides in revitalizing downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
“It’s going to open a lot of doors,” said Council President Darlene Steele. “We have several people very interested in working with us.”
Joining Heritage Ohio serves as a first step toward becoming a Heritage Ohio Main Street Program.
Statewide Main Street Coordinating Programs support local efforts by selecting districts and programs to participate in the state network, creating economic development resources, and serving as a liaison between the National Trust Main Street Center.
Heritage Ohio is a partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, an organization committed to staffing state-wide not-for-profits in order to encourage and strengthen historic preservation projects in each state. One of the program’s most successful features is its matching grant, provided by the National Trust to help organizations hire their first full-time staff. The program also offers development assistance.
West Jefferson is working with the Madison County Chamber of Commerce to meet the criteria to become a Heritage Ohio Main Street Program.
In other business at their Feb. 4 meeting, council members approved the purchase of a 2008 Ford pick-up truck. The truck, which costs $25,215, will replace a 6-year-old truck.
“The old truck is just falling apart,” said Public Service Director Harold Walker.
The new truck will be purchased in a few weeks and used mainly for snow-plowing and other public service tasks.
