Feature Story & Photos by Larry H. Oskin
The Clermont Downtown Partnership is now in transition to become an exciting part of Main Street America. The new Clermont Main Street program will provide opportunities for increasing community engagement as it looks both inside and outside downtown for fresh ideas and empowered leadership. This nationally recognized program is based on helping preserve and grow historic downtowns to make incremental changes that result in a stronger, more diverse downtown community. Main Street is a proven program that brings with it increased access to grants and promotional opportunities.
Kimberly Grogan and Darren Johnson, members of the current CDP Board, will serve on the new Main Street Board. The target date for the new Main Street board formation is December 2021.
The Florida Main Street office provides guidance on the ideal board composition with a plan to include leaders from throughout the community and not just downtown Clermont business owners. Once the board is set, a complete work plan will be developed with committees formed to address the prioritized work plan projects. All these steps are required by the state office to re-establish the program which was originally designated from 2003 to 2003. Unlike the membership-based CDP, Main Street will be a 501-C3 non-profit organization.
Clermont Main Street Executive Director: The new Clermont Main Street program will be managed by Barbara Hollerand as the full-time Executive Director who will work with the board, committees, volunteers, sponsors and local government to advance the projects in the strategic work plan. The Clermont Community Redevelopment Agency is providing funding in support of this Main Street program, including funding for the Executive Director position.
As the Main Street Executive Director, Hollerand will coordinate activity within this downtown revitalization program that utilizes historic preservation for downtown economic development. She will be the principal staff person responsible for coordinating all local projects, while representing the community regionally and nationally. Following the Main Street America model, the four most important areas of responsibility will be promotions, design, economic vitality and organization. She will manage all administrative aspects of the program including preparation of all reports required by the Florida state Main Street program and the National Main Street Center.
The Executive Director will help guide the organization as it grows and as its objectives evolve in the future. She will also seek sources of alternative revenue with fundraisers and events for Main Street programming to supplement the monies provided by events, city government, sponsorships and memberships. Hollerand will be responsible to coordinate and lead all future Clermont Main Street meetings.
With over 30 years of professional experience, Barbara Hollerand will be a natural for this position as she has worked for the City of Clermont for more than 18 years in varying positions including Assistant to the City Manager, Director of Development Services and Business Liaison. Originally from Melbourne, she has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida as well as a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Rollins College.
Rebranding Downtown Clermont! The new Clermont marketing slogan will be ‘Lure of the Lake! Gem of the Hills!’ The Orlando-based and nationally recognized Prismatic Agency has been hired to help rebrand and re-launch Downtown Clermont with a new logo, colors, marketing and media campaigns.
Join Clermont Main Street! Now is the perfect time to join Clermont Main Street for great opportunities to network with other business owners, promote your business and to help our community by becoming an active member. For membership and sponsorship information, contact Barbara Hollerand at: 352-242-9959 or email: BarbaraHollerand@Yahoo.com.
