New Main Street coordinator ready to take program’s reins

Saira Siddiqui had never been to La Grande before a couple weeks ago.

She soon will be moving here, though, to take the reins as coordinator for La Grande Main Street.

“I feel like I’m in a movie,” the Buffalo, N.Y. native said of her new small town home.

Siddiqui has only lived in the city: Chicago and Buffalo. Her adventure, she said, will be getting acclimated to a smaller town.

“I want to get the ball rolling,” she said during her visit to La Grande. She was in town after attending the Oregon Main Street conference in Astoria, where she had a chance to meet other Main Street coordinators. Most of the coordinators in the Rural Assistance for Rural Environments program have been in their positions for about a month, so Siddiqui is a little behind. She says that is just another reason to dive in.

“We can start fresh with a new idea and a new plan,” she said.

While in Astoria, Siddiqui met with Alana Garner, La Grande Main Street’s former coordinator. She was brought up to speed on the organization’s place, which has been in limbo since property owners rejected the implementation of an Economic Improvement District. The EID would have provided stable funding for the group, Main Street officials said.

“I think there needs to be a positive incentive program,” Siddiqui said.

The new coordinator said an incentive will help businesses want to financially support Main Street.

Siddiqui said she is also thinking of ways to bring businesses and property owners together to work together in a way that is not so formal and intimidating as some meetings.

“I would like to do something like a business mixer,” she said.

When she arrives to start the job, by the end of the month, she will also be going over guidelines and goals for each of Main Street’s committees.