Position Paper-Downtown Monterey

By Mike Dawson

I encourage downtown business owners to do the small and inexpensive things that can be done immediately to make our downtown more vibrant. A nicer-looking and cleaner downtown area will attract the great tenants we've been looking for, and attract residents and visitors as well.

I encourage downtown business owners to do the small and inexpensive things that can be done immediately to make our downtown more vibrant. Let's start by cleaning up the little things. Let's report graffiti so it can be covered quickly. If each of us picked up one piece of trash, our streets would be so much cleaner. There are easy places to dispose of gum and butts. Let's use them. And, a little paint on some downtown store fronts would go a long way. Let's have the business improvement districts each appoint one of their members as the pride guy, and have him monitor and report back to his board to take action to clean up the awnings, storefronts, sidewalks and streets. It's got to start somewhere, why not with those who have the most to gain? These little things can make a big difference. A nicer-looking and cleaner downtown area will attract the great tenants we've been looking for, and attract residents and visitors as well. Isn't that what we all want?