Community Updates | Picayune Main Street

Picayune Main Street Strategic Work Plan Developed on July 19, 2022

Facilitator: Randy L. Wilson, President Community Design Solutions Columbia, South Carolina & Thomas Gregory, MS Main Street Association State Director held at Picayune Intermodal & Tourist Center Picayune MS

Members of the Board and committees, as well as community stakeholders met with Mr. Wilson in an interactive exercise to determine strategic initiatives for the Picayune Main Street program and its committees.

The Strategic Planning Report compiles both the strategic planning files and market assessment files into one consolidated report to use for Picayune Main Street future Design, Organization, Protections and Economic Vitality. projects.

Strategic Plan Workshop https://bit.ly/3QbjLCg

MS Main Street Hero Angela Wood

2022 MS Main Street Awards The South Warehouse Jackson MS

Main Street Hero – This award recognizes an outstanding community leader or public figure who has displayed an involved commitment to downtown and his or her Main Street program.

Winner: Angela Wood

Nominated by Picayune Main Street

Accepting: Angela Wood Beautification Director & Eric Morris Public Works Director

Presented by MMSA Executive Director Thomas Gregory

The City of Picayune Beautification Department’s desire was to have flowerbeds all over Picayune within budget. Eric Morris, Public Works Director, and Angela Wood, Director of the Beautification Department, researched greenhouses. Mississippi Power donated two carport structures, and the Pearl River Central School district donated two greenhouses to the city. City employees disassembled and reassembled the structures. The greenhouses were completed with budgeted funds, revenue from the sale of scrap metal and un-needed equipment and equipped with fans, gas heat, and automatic irrigation. Today, Angela and her team cultivates and transplants over 6,000 plants twice a year. The Beautification maintains 70 flowerbeds throughout Picayune. The Downtown has 20 flowerbeds and 77 planters and hanging baskets. The project has achieved the goals to have flowerbeds all over Picayune and maintain the budget.

Angela is known all over Picayune as the Beautiful Flower Lady; Angela Wood is truly a Hometown Hero.

Hometown Hero pdf https://bit.ly/3aZKKkS

MS Main Street Outstanding Fundraising Award Jail & Bail

Picayune Main Street, Inc. is excited to bring home the MS Main Street Outstanding Fundraising Award.

2022 MS Main Street Awards The South WarehouseJackson MS Outstanding Fundraising Campaign This award is granted to the downtown organization that has displayed the most impactful campaign in securing funds for a specific project.

Winner: Save our Park Jail & BailPicayune Main StreetDirector: Reba Beebe

Accepting: Mayor Jim Luke; Sheriff David Allison; Park Director, Trevor Adam; and Code Enforcement Tom Milar. Award Presented by MMSA Executive Director Thomas Gregory

The City of Picayune was awarded a $1.9 million BP grant with a 20% match to rebuild the Friendship Park Playground, upgrade ball fields, tennis courts and the Kids Kingdom Playground. To assist with the 20% match to build a handicap accessible playground and improve sport fields for the community, a Jail & Bail Fundraiser was planned by Picayune Police, Pearl River County Sheriff Department, and Picayune Main Street, Inc.Judge Tom “Bean” Milar issued over 120 warrants and Wanted posters were posted for local criminals. A Western Jail was built by the Picayune Public Works Dept., and the Pearl River County Sheriff and his deputies made an early morning roundup. Those arrested were allowed to call for assistance to pay their bail money and a Port a Potty was supplied for emergencies. The Jail & Bail Fundraiser was a BIG success raising over $45,000. The Picayune community looks forward to enjoying the park upgrades for years ahead!

Outstanding Fundraising Campaign pdf https://bit.ly/39ut54A

City of Picayune ‘You Are Here’ signs in place to define ‘to go cup’ alcohol areas.

Michael Williams – WRJW News

During the miscellaneous council members discussion portion of Tuesday’s meeting of the Picayune City Council, councilman Frank Ford asked for the media’s help in getting out the word on the new leisure district in downtown Picayune. The leisure district allows for legal adults to purchase alcoholic beverages from businesses in the district and legally walk the area during certain events and times while carrying alcoholic beverages in a ” to go cup”. Councilman Ford wants to emphasize that the ordinance only applies to pedestrians and not operators or passengers within vehicles, and the newly legalized golf carts.Public Works Director Eric Morris said that the city has erected 36 “You are Here” signs throughout the leisure district to pinpoint your location and to also show the boarders of the district.Maroon lines are painted across intersections throughout downtown to inform pedestrians when they enter and exit the boundaries of the leisure district.

Other new signs citizens will now notice are the “Share the Road” signs with a picture of a golf cart on them

Pearl River County Economic Development District Director, Lindsay Ward “There was great attendance at the Mississippi Economic Development Council’s Winter Legislative Conference 2022 in Jackson. The Conference was packed full of informative speakers and panels of speakers discussing the economic outlook for the future along with many other topics.”

“Canal Place” Alley Project in Picayune won a Community Economic Development Award. Picayune Main Street, Inc. Director Reba Beebe was able to accept the award at the awards luncheon with Economic Development Director Lindsay Ward and Project Manager Christy Goss.

Outstanding Façade Improvement Program
This award recognizes a Main Street façade improvement program that has contributed to façade improvements of multiple buildings located within a downtown district.

Winner: Picayune Main Street, Inc. –

Making Downtown More Loveable 2
Accepting: Byron Hill
Picayune Main Street’s Economic Vitality Team understands downtown is critical to the success of the community. With confidence that the community would survive the pandemic, the team agreed to continue

Moving Picayune Forward with the Revitalization Campaign
“Making Downtown More Lovable 2”.
Eight downtown businesses were revitalized with new awnings through funds from Picayune Main Street’s Façade Grant Program and a Community Investment Program Grant from the Mississippi Power Foundation. Mississippi Power Area Manager Byron Hill is very active in Downtown Picayune’s Revitalization Projects to keep the community lively and strong. Downtown business owners have seen a noticeable increase in foot traffic. New businesses have opened or expanded. The project has clearly achieved the goals to move
Picayune Forward and make downtown more lovable and alive!

Crosby Commons Nomination https://bit.ly/3HqsbRt

Intermodal & Tourist Center Lower Pearl River Valley Transportation Museum

https://picayunemainstreet.com/attractions/intermodal-tourist-center/