This Week July 7, 2014 Volume 8, Number 27 Monday, July 7 Appanoose County Board of Supervisors, 9 a.m., County Courthouse Centerville City Council, 5:30 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers Pancake Day Committee Meeting, 5:30, Chamber Office Tuesday, July 8 Chamber Board of Directors, Noon, Chamber Office Organizing for Main Street Board, 4:15, CRI Office BOB Group, 7:30 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers, everyone welcome. Wednesday, July 9 Rathbun Lake Association Board Meeting, 5 p.m., Louie s Lakeside Thursday, July 10 Ambassador Visit, 9:30 a.m, Tivoli s Organizing for Main Street, 5:30 p.m. at the Majestic. We will discuss the Assessment Team visit and recommendations. The social is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend. Friday, July 11 Community Improvement Coaltion, 9:30 a.m., Chamber Office Everyone welcome! Chamber Executive Committee Meeting, Noon, Chamber Office Deadline for information to This Week in Centerville is Friday at Noon. Submit items to the joyce@centervilleia.com and include This Week in Centerville in the subject line. Saturday, July 12 Second Saturday in Centerville Second Saturday Square Share Sunday, July 13
Did you know that Chamber members can submit information for publication in This Week in Centerville for FREE? Submit your information by Noon on Friday! Please include This Week in Centerville in subject line! Show your American Spirit! The Chamber s Retail Committee is sponsoring a promotion on the Second Saturday of each month. This Saturday, July 12, is Second Saturday and the theme is patriotic! While you can find great deals in Centerville s retail district every day, the second Saturday will feature special promotions and discounts. Like us on facebook.com/centervillesquare. Retailers: Don t forget to post your specials on the facebook.com/centervillesquare page! Also remember to like and share each other s posts! Miss Pancake Day, Lil Miss and Mister and Escort applications available The Centerville Pancake Day Queen Committee is taking applications for contestants for Miss Pancake Day contestants, escorts and Lil Miss and Misters. Girls must be at least a junior in high school and no more than 20 years of age on Pancake Day, September 27, 2014. All contestants must live within a fifty mile radius of the Centerville area. All other requirements for the queen contestants are included in the rules/regulations/responsibilities paper that each contestant will receive with their application forms. A $25 non-refundable registration fee is required with the return of the application. Pancake Day Escorts must be a senior at Centerville High School for the 2014-2015 school year. We will accept the first eight applicants. Lil Miss and Misters must be in kindergarten for the 2014-2015 school year and be enrolled in the Centerville School District. Applications can be obtained from the Chamber of Commerce Office, 128 N. 12 th Street in Centerville, IA. Applications are also available on the Chamber s website www.centervilleia.com. Deadline for applications is July 15. This year s Pancake Day theme is A Star Spangled Celebration. The theme will be reflected in various aspects of the pageant. Pancake Day shirts are available beginning this week at the Chamber of Commerce, Jim Irelan Men s Wear!
Cincinnati Firemen s Day July 19 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Car show, BINGO, kids carnival, silent auction, raffles, cake walk & more! Proceeds to Cincinnati Development Initiative which is raising money for the Cincinnati Volunteer Fire Department.
Workers Need for Appanoose County Fair Gate The Chamber of Commerce is charged with staffing the Gate at the Appanoose County Fair on Tuesday, July 22 from 5 to 9 p.m. We run two shifts (5 to 7 and 7 to 9). If you are able to help, please let us know. Email joyce@centervilleia.com or call 437-4102! Thanks. Organizing for AIN TREET M S A Grow Centerville Initiative The state assessment team of Jim Engle and Tim Reinders spent June 10-12 in Centerville compiling the downtown s strengths and weaknesses. There were twenty-seven assets and strengths listed and nine areas to improve. Some of the areas to improve can be worked on immediately but some will take more time. Organizing for Main Street is developing a plan to work on all of them over the next three years. 27 ASSETS AND STRENGTHS 1. Downtown Centerville has the Largest Square in the World. What an unusual and beautiful asset. 2. The square is a great walking opportunity for residents and visitors. 3. Downtown Centerville is active. Significant vehicular and pedestrian traffic line the streets and sidewalks. 4. The contributions that Morgan Cline has made to Centerville are incredible. 5. Centerville is a regional draw. This community supports several grocery stores-an indicator of this draw. 6. The community and area boasts an abundance of outdoor recreation including parks, Lake Rathbun, reservoirs and Honey Creek. The team even heard from residents that located here because of this. 7. Downtown Centerville has a solid mix of businesses including new and longtime retailers. 8. The AEDC offers outstanding incentive programs for business development. 9. It appears that downtown Centerville has ample parking. 10. A new City Administrator is in place and making a difference in the community. 11. Centerville has already developed a Main Street Committee structure and these groups are doing positive things in the downtown. 12. The Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations have a healthy schedule of downtown events.
13. Downtown Centerville is blessed with beautiful architecture, including the Courthouse! The district is on the National Register of Historic Places. 14. A top-notch museum is located in the downtown. 15. The community will soon see upgrading of electrical in the downtown area. 16. Indian Hills Community College is an asset. 17. A trolley! What an opportunity. 18. Recently, the Business Improvement Committee completed a downtown business survey that supplies the group with valuable data to help downtown committees be more strategic. 19. Bradley Hall is a wonderful retail draw in an historic property. It was said that it sometimes even serves as an incubator for the downtown area. 9 AREAS TO IMPROVE 1. VISION: What will success look like was the most difficult for Centerville s leaders and residents to answer. 2. GATEWAYS AND CORRIDORS: Centerville does not currently have effective gateway or corridor treatments to direct people to the square. 3. BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS: A lot of buildings are need of maintenance and repair-almost to the crisis point. 4. DESIGN MANAGEMENT: The square is listed on the National Register and Centerville has a Historic Preservation Commission. Currently any projects that occur within the historic district require no review or receive any special advice to ensure they conform to appropriate preservation practices. 5. PARKING: Understanding and managing parking is critical to long-term sustainable viability in the downtown. 6. RETAIL/BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Many of the existing businesses are behind the times, especially in the area of marketing. Businesses tend to market their own businesses but don t unite to sell the downtown Centerville experience. 7. MARKETING/TOURISM: Centerville has a number of entities sending out messages to the world creating inconsistency. Centerville has so much to offer visitors but it s difficult to understand what the message is. 8. BUILDING THE NIGHTTIME ECONOMY: Being proactive to increase desirable activities and pedestrian traffic is a better way to change the environment rather than bothering residents that have every right to be there. 9. WALKABILITY AND AMBIENCE: Paying attention to details and components that make places pedestrian friendly will improve the experience and make downtown a more inviting place to shop and socialize.
We re going back to the State Fair The Centerville Chamber of Commerce and the US Army Corps of Engineers at Rathbun Lake are partnering again this year for a booth in the Varied Industries Building at the State Fair. We are responsible for staffing the booth from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the 11-day State Fair (Aug. 7-17). We need lots of help! If you are interested in working contact joyce (joyce@centervilleia.com) for shift information.