Later, he indicated that he would be contacting Lyndeborough officials to see if they have any interest in helping with the Main Street drive. The Main Street program, developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation 20 years ago, develops a revitalization strategy for towns that includes historic preservation. Last week's meeting was one of several the group has held to continue updating one another on the progress of their Main Street application process. The application must be filed with the state's Main Street Program on April 3. A Main Street report is expected to be presented to the Wilton Board of Selectmen on March 30.
Official support is needed for the application.
Melcher and others see the March 5 meeting as an important step in gaining local official support and impressing state Main Street officials. Kathy LaPlante, coordinator of the state program, is expected to attend that meeting at which the local Main Street group will solicit pledges of funds and letters of support from citizens. There is a general consensus that the more letters a group can get the more it will impress state officials. Last year, Milford had more than 100 such letters from public officials, school children and even one from Santa Claus. One of the issues still to be resolved is the precise boundaries of Wilton's Main Street for purposes of the program.