The Kirksville Downtown Improvement Committee will meet Dec.13 to discuss goals the committee hopes to accomplish in the coming year.
The committee plans to discuss items such as re-branding the KDIC to be more social media friendly, making Kirksville a Main Street City holding events in the downtown area and attracting more volunteers.
KDIC president Kirk Ranson said one of the biggest goals of the KDIC is to make Kirksville a Main Street City, or a city that is part of Missouri Main Street Connection. Missouri Main Street Connections is an organization that helps revitalize historic downtown communities in Missouri.
Another item of discussion at the meeting is re-branding the KDIC to be more social media friendly. Ranson said as of right now the committee has a Facebook page, but he hopes to get more things on the page.
Ranson hopes to get more Truman student involvement in the next couple years. His idea is to talk with professors and service organizations at the school to have students help KDIC with projects.
He also plans to contact service organizations outside Truman for help with the KDIC and to talk about getting more media coverage.
“We’re working toward getting the KDIC more in the limelight and making a bigger squeak,” Ranson said.
Downtown Kirksville hosts many events throughout the year, many of which are annual events. They also host special events some years when they have the opportunity. At the meeting they plan to discuss which events they hope to bring back in the upcoming year.
The committee will also brainstorm ways to get more people involved in KDIC events and meetings.
“We want to expand so it’s not all the same people who do all the work,” Ranson said.
Ranson said he hopes the re-branding of the KDIC will attract more people to the meetings.
The last meeting of the KDIC was the annual meeting, and they discussed an event the KDIC hosts every year called Christmas on the Square.
Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said Christmas on the Square involves a train for children to ride and Santa at the Adair County Courthouse to greet children every Saturday from 2-4 p.m., until Christmas.
Sarah Halstead, KDIC secretary and treasurer invites everyone to the committee meeting Dec. 13.
“Anyone who has an interest in the downtown can be a member,” Halstead said. “You don’t have to be a downtown owner just to be a member of the KDIC. If you have an interest in the downtown and bettering it, you’re welcome to attend.”