SMSA to choose board member during meeting

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By STEVEN NALLEY
citybeat@bellsouth.net [2]

The Starkville Main Street Association will hold its annual meeting at the welcome center on the first floor of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership building Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Robyn Cain, program coordinator for SMSA, said new members of SMSA’s board of directors will be elected. One seat is open, she said, and Patrick Quinn, general manager of Mugshots, has been nominated.
With fiscal year 2012 starting Oct. 1, many city and business boards in Starkville have used September meetings to approve budgets, but Cain said SMSA is an exception. The board of directors for SMSA meets privately each month, she said, and it approved a budget in July.
However, Cain said, this meeting is open to the public, with refreshments available.
“This meeting is for members and non-members,” Cain said. “We will be discussing the purpose of the Main Street Association and have samples of past events and advertising that we have done and also show our plans for future events and benefits.”
Cain said SMSA’s purpose is the promotion and enhancement of the city’s Downtown District, which includes Main Street, University Drive, Lampkin Street and Russell Street.
“The Starkville Main Street Association is a member of the Mississippi Main Street Association and strives to improve Downtown Starkville using the Four Point Approach: Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion and Organization,” Cain said. “SMSA works with the Chamber of Commerce and CVB to promote business, increase tourism and awareness of the Downtown District.”