Baker City’s new downtown group met Wednesday to attract members to volunteer for four committees it has created in an effort to revitalize the historic downtown business district.

The meeting was at the Orpheum Theater on Main Street.

Baker City Downtown follows the “Main Street Approach” to revitalize and promote downtown.

The goal is to build high quality, livable and sustainable communities that will grow Oregon’s economy while maintaining a sense of place. The Oregon Main Street program is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office

Jenny Mowe, owner of Sweet Wife Baking on Resort Street, is one of the driving forces behind the group’s formation earlier this year.

After being named Business of the Year at the annual Oregon Main Street Evening of Excellence celebration last September in Astoria, Mowe was inspired to help bring the program to Baker City. She said she was “absolutely blown away” by what other cities in Oregon that participated in the Main Street Program were doing to revitalize their communities.

“I came back here and I said ‘Let’s get something going,’ ” Mowe said to about 40 business owners and community members at Wednesday’s meeting. “So we’re here now; we’ve got a new downtown association. We’re looking for volunteers and committee members. That’s our next biggest goal.”

A board of directors was formed for the organization in April that includes Tori Brown (president), Bev Calder (vice president), Heather Isaacson (secretary), Mowe (board member and self-proclaimed sergeant at arms) and Rick Stout (treasurer) to lead the organization.

Robin Nudd, who works as the community development director for Baker City, is the city’s coordinator for Baker City Downtown (BCD). Nudd said six people who attended Wednesday’s meeting volunteered to serve on a committee. They will join 31 people who volunteered earlier.

“It’s great to be on the board, but I can tell you already that the action is in the committees,” Mowe said. “They are the driving force; they come up with the ideas. If you want to be in the know, get on a committee.”

She encouraged people to join the appropriate committee that matched what they would like to see happen downtown.

The four committees that are part of the Main Street Four Point Approach include:

• The Organization Committee is responsible for building support within the community and for keeping BCD in excellent working order and is accomplished through volunteer recruitment, fundraising, developing partnerships and outreach.

• The Promotion Committee is responsible for creating a positive image that will renew community pride and is accomplished through advertising, retail promotions and special events.

• The Design Committee is responsible for preserving the downtown’s character and creating a safe and inviting environment for shoppers, visitors and workers.

• The Economic Restructuring Committee is responsible for strengthening existing assets and working to retain and expand successful businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix.

Mowe was observed mentioning to some in attendance that people who joined the Organization Committee would have access to the sweet and savory treats she makes at Sweet Wife Baking.

See more in the July 24, 2017, issue of the Baker City Herald.