NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The future of the New Port Richey Main Street program looked uncertain at the beginning of 2019, but new leadership said it’s taken steps since to bring life back into the organization charged with revitalizing the city’s historic downtown.

  • New Port Richey Main Street taking steps toward its own revitalization
  • Main Street Program tasked with revitalizing city's historic downtown
  • Board was previously understaffed; six new members recently joined

“I think we’ve made great progress in the last few months. There’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes work,” said the program’s new executive director, Liz Misemer.

Misemer said she was approached in early February about taking on the lead role of the group in which she used to volunteer.

“I loved it – love everything it stands for, and was very excited to take on that role,” Misemer said.

She’s not the only new face. According to Misemer, six new board members joined three previous members to fully staff the reorganized nine-member board. Back in January, city leaders said a concern was that only four of 11 board positions were filled and that the group wasn’t meeting regularly.

“We’re very hopeful that a board of directors, all fairly new, can lead the program, along with a new executive director, once they have an opportunity to get themselves acclimated to the program itself,” said New Port Richey City Manager Debbie Manns.

Misemer said the first board meeting has taken place, and one of the group’s immediate goals is setting up subcommittees to focus on areas outlined in the Main Street program’s four point approach to revitalization: organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality. 

While Main Street once received $15,000 in funding annually from the city, that stopped when the group’s activity tapered off. Manns said the city and Main Street are expected to enter into a memorandum of understanding in the coming weeks that could lay the groundwork to change that.

“The agreement sets forth performance standards that must be complied with in order for them to receive financial support from the city. The types of things we’ll be looking for are for meetings to occur, members to attend meetings, acting to take place,” Manns said. 

She said the group will be eligible for funding once it’s fully operational.