Sikeston merchants favor improvement district idea

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Historic Downtown Sikeston has begun the petition process for a community improvement district by talking with property owners and business owners, according to Brandon Kuehn, the organization's executive director.

Merchants seem to be in favor of the CID, Kuehn said.

"We have talked to a majority of them, and they see the benefit of what our organization has done and realize that to continue to have those types of projects and activities we need to have a long-term funding source," he said.

If the district is approved by the city council, the funds would be used for "projects that benefit downtown as a whole," Kuehn said, such as beautification efforts and holding special events to attract customer traffic downtown and to bring in new business to downtown Sikeston.

One-cent sales tax

"We will be asking for a one-cent sales tax, which is not very much. On a $100 purchase, it's an extra dollar in tax," he said.

"Every cent will come right back through our organization and will be used for projects in the district."

The district would have a 15-year sunset, after which the group could evaluate and consider re-establishing it.

Examples of projects the board hopes to fund with the CID are a signage program to help out-of-town visitors find their way to the downtown and improvements at American Legion Park.

In addition to visible projects, such as adding a fountain, the plans for downtown Sikeston include "behind the scenes" efforts such as promoting single-family businesses, he said.

During Historic Downtown Sikeston's annual board meeting July 14, the urban consulting firm Peckham Guyton Albers and Viets of St. Louis presented the board with the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri program's final strategic plan.

The 10-point DREAM plan is the culmination of studies and surveys conducted since the program began in 2007, Kuehn said.

Historic Downtown Sikeston was initially funded through a Neighborhood Assistance Program grant to help it get started and is operating on a Community Development Block Grant that is nearing the end of its term.

"One of the main goals of the plan is to establish a long-term funding source," Kuehn said. "One of the things recommended by PGAV was establishing a CID. and we have started the process on that. We hope to have it in place by the beginning of next year."

Pertinent address:

Sikeston, MO