What do Bo Derek and downtown Oxford have in common? Both are perfect 10s.
Last week, Oxford became a certified Main Street community after meeting all 10 criteria set forth by the National Trust Main Street Center.
‘It’s a pretty big feather in our cap,? said DDA Chairperson Sue Bossardet, noting everyone ‘worked very hard this last year? to make it happen.
What’s really impressive is Oxford is now one of only two Main Street Oakland County communities to receive this certification ? the other is downtown Rochester.
There are a total of 12 downtowns in the county’s Main Street program.
Oxford is also the first community to achieve certification after being in the Main Street program for only a year. It took Rochester five years.
‘We’ve taken a big leap from where we started,? said Amanda Cassidy, executive director of the DDA. ‘This means we are on the right track and we’re meeting the goals that the Main Street program has set for us.?
A first-year assessment performed Jan. 23 by county and national Main Street representatives determined Oxford had met all 10 benchmarks and guidelines for how a Main Street revitalization program should optimally function.
The 10 criteria include ? broad-based community support; vision and mission statements; comprehensive work plan; historic preservation ethic; active board and committees; adequate operating budget; paid, professional DDA/Main Street Program Coordinator; program of on-going training; reporting of key statistics; and Main Street Network membership.
Oxford scored a ‘yes? next to each and every one of these standards during its Main Street review.
‘It took everybody by surprise that we achieved all 10, especially because not a lot of people do that,? Cassidy said. ‘I think everyone’s realizing now that Main Street is a good thing to be in and we’re getting our game together.?
But don’t think for a moment that Cassidy and the DDA are planning to rest on their laurels.
‘We still have a lot further to go,? she said. ‘Going into our second year sets the bars even higher. We need to continue achieving.?
To volunteer for one of the DDA’s four Main Street committees call (248) 628-3095.