CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston Main Streets Executive Director Ric Cavender said they’re “right on track” in their process of hiring two program directors, one for each the East End and West Side, as part of one official citywide Main Street organization.
Board of directors on both the East End and West Side Main Streets approved the combined organization in March, which they considered an “administrative connection.”
Cavender said they conducted interviews with top candidates this past week with plans to announce the two program directors sometime next week.
“We’re really happy with the turn out. We feel really good about the direction it’s heading,” he said.
Cavender said the new staff and board structure will build a larger capacity within the organization, allowing them to accomplish even more than they have already.
The former East End Main Streets director will now oversee the new organization and work with the board of directors to ensure their initiatives are carried out, as well as well building stronger relationships with their donors, sponsors and members.
“In the way that this new structure is set up the two cultures on the East End and West Side remain the unchanged. We’re going to be able to offer all the same programming we always have and even enhance that programming, so from that aspect it’s very exciting,” said Cavender.
The prime responsibilities of the new program directors are to handle programmatic aspects such as public art projects, events, public space improvements and volunteer management. Cavender said those directors are “key to move forward the initiatives that exist within this new organization.”
Cavender said the program directors will then work in collaboration with their respective boards of advisers to staff all their committees.
Official implementation of the merge is scheduled to be completed June 30th.