Cliff Manuel, president of the Brooksville Vision Foundation (BVF), believes that revitalizing Main Street will “lift the entire county”, not just the 7,800 residents of the city. Manuel introduced Dennis Wilfong, Ambassador of Commerce and Employment for the City of Brooksville, to the Board of County Commission (BOCC) to begin the presentation.
Wilfong listed several strengths of Brooksville, including the historic downtown and excellent credit rating of the county and city. However, there are some significant challenges, including downtown businesses closing and moving, no evening retail/shopping, few residences and what Wilfong called negativity and resistance to change.
Wilfong believes Duane Chichester, former publisher of Hernando Today, is the leader who can make the Main Street Program happen. Chichester shared a PowerPoint presentation similar to the one shown to the Brooksville City Council on May 16, 2016. Chichester stated he wanted to be clear that he was representing the Brooksville Vision Foundation, not the City of Brooksville, which is a partner. Chichester is currently employed by the city as a business development coordinator.
Funding sources for the program are from the private sector, city/county government, and miscellaneous (events/fundraisers, in-kind donations). The resolution before the BOCC was to endorse the Brooksville Vision Foundation’s application in the Florida Main Street Program, and to pledge $51,000 each year for three years.
The BOCC unanimously approved the resolution and Chairman Jim Adkins signed the letter authorizing the funding to begin 11/01/16.