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A
Welcome
to
aiken
business
matters,
I'm
John,
mcmichael,
your
host
and
I
am
so
pleased
today
to
have
varied
two
very
distinguished
guests
with
us
today,
Eric
but
from
he
is
the
deputy
executive
director
with
the
Municipal
Association
of
South
Carolina
and
randy
wilson,
president
of
community
design
solutions.
They
are
here
in
aiken
as
part
of
the
main
street
south
carolina
group.
That
is
here
to
do
a
baseline
assessment
for
the
city
of
aching.
Welcome
gentlemen.
A
B
John
main
street
south
carolina
is
the
state
affiliate
for
the
National
Main
Street
program
and
the
National
Main
Street
program
is
a
program
designed
to
help
communities
succeed
in
downtown
revitalization,
and
the
program
focuses
on
four
specific
points:
promotion,
organization,
design
and
economic
development.
So
we're
here
this
week
to
evaluate
where
Aiken
stands
in
each
of
those
four
areas.
I.
C
Think
the
only
thing
I
would
add
to
what
Eric
said
John
is
I
tend
to
like
in
and
the
main
street
approach
to
a
four
legged
stool.
You
know
as
long
as
all
four
legs
were
present.
You
know
it's
a
really
stable
stool,
but
you
start
removing
one
or
more
and
it
becomes
really
unbalanced,
and
so
the
main
street
approach
to
downtown
revitalization
is
a
very
balanced
approach.
It's
a
very
holistic
approach.
If
you
will,
you
know
Eric
just
outlined
a
bit,
you
know
design.
The
place
has
to
look
good
in
function.
Well,
organization.
C
You
got
to
figure
out
ways
that
the
public
sector
can
have
appropriate
input
in
the
private
sector
can
have
appropriate
responses.
You
can't
rely
on
either
one
of
those
alone
to
do
it.
Promotion.
You
know
how
do
we
just
just
raise
awareness
of
and
make
people
proud
of
this
place?
They
call
home
and
through
events
and
special
festivals
and
things
like
that
and
then
economic
restructuring?
C
What
we
like
to
say
is:
we
are
trying
to
compete
with
the
big
boxes,
but
rather
complement
that
with
unique
offerings
in
the
downtown
that
typically
but
not
always
or
locally
owned,
and
so
I
think
you
can
see
how
all
of
those
work
together,
but
but
back
to
the
four-legged
stool
analogy.
If
you
remove
any
of
them,
it's
going
to
be
a
short-sighted
effort
and
I
think
often
times,
we've
seen
towns
that
have
sort
of
degradation
over
time.
A
B
The
Municipal
Association
of
South
Carolina
is
the
professional
association
for
the
270
cities
and
towns
in
South.
Carolina
in
my
role
as
deputy
executive
director
is
to
operate
the
education
and
training
programs
for
the
association's.
So
we
provide
education,
training
and
technical
assistance
for
the
elected
officials
in
the
state,
as
well
as
key
staff
positions,
and
one
of
those
programs
is
Main,
Street
south
carolina.
How.
B
C
C
C
Sure,
thanks
John
I,
jokingly
and
often
tell
people
I'm,
a
recovering
architect
that
doesn't
imply
I
didn't
enjoy.
My
career
in
private
architectural
practice
actually
enjoyed
it
very
much.
But
one,
roughly
fifteen
years
ago,
I
decided
to
look
at
a
professional
change
and
got
into
the
main
street
program
which
which
in
many
ways,
while
it
doesn't
diminish
the
role
of
architecture
and
especially
not
a
preservation
in
some
other
ways
it.
So
it's
a
bit
more
planning
oriented
and
so
actually
for
quite
a
while.
C
I
was
the
full-time
architect
on
four
main
street
south
carolina
housed
at
the
Municipal
Association
South
Carolina.
A
few
years
later,
I
decided
to
go
out
of
my
own
and
launched
a
practice
which
was
devoted
to
many
of
the
same
principles
that
the
main
street
of
spouses
and
have
been
very
privileged
to
remain
on
as
the
consulting
architect
for
main
street
south
carolina.
This.
C
It's
not
I've
actually
had
the
privilege
of
working
here
for
15
or
more
years.
Actually,
you
know
obviously
serving
this
community
through
my
role
as
the
main
street
architect
at
one
time,
also
having
the
privilege
of
writing
your
downtown
design
guidelines
and
all
of
those
things
gave
me
exposure
to
this.
C
This
really
wonderful
place
and
I've
made
it
no
secret
over
the
years
of
a
current
is
akin
is
definitely
one
of
my
favorite
cities
in
all
of
South
Carolina,
and
there
are
a
lot
of
reasons
I
mean
in
the
reasons
you
know
and
the
reasons
you
live
here.
You
know
just
the
beauty
of
the
place,
the
physical
beauty
or
the
place,
whether
it's
in
the
the
tree,
alleys
of
trees,
the
the
parkways,
the
historic
architecture,
this
really
wonderful
sort
of
presence
of
this
equestrian
community.
C
It's
it's
just
a
remarkable
place
and,
as
I
told
somebody
the
other
day,
even
though
it's
this
really
wonderful,
quote,
unquote.
Quaint
southern
city,
there's
there's
very
much
a
Cosmo
cosmopolitan
nature
to
Aiken.
It's
just
a
remarkable
and
unique
place
that
I,
don't
know
exist
anywhere.
It's
that's
why
it's
one
of
my
favorites
when
I
appreciate.
A
A
C
Well,
that's
the
event
along
yeah
we've
I've
had
the
privilege
I
really
stopped
counting
after
200,
but
had
the
privilege
of
working
several
hundred
Main
Street
communities
all
across
America,
and
you
know,
as
far
up
north
is
gosh
Delaware
in
Vermont
out
west.
As
far
as
la
the
port
of
La,
any
further
west
we'd
have
been
wet
Wyoming,
coming
back
a
little
closer.
C
Of
course,
a
lot
of
in
North
Carolina
Virginia
a
ton
in
Mississippi
because
for
a
while
actually
served
as
Mississippi's
Main,
Street
architect
as
well,
and
then
virtually
every
city
in
South,
Carolina
and
I
think
my
wife
and
kids.
They.
They
always
think
it's
kind
of
unique,
because
you
know
when
you,
when
you
go
into
a
place
and
study
it
from
the
main
street
perspective.
C
You
always
find
out
the
real,
unique
stories
behind
the
place,
whether
it's
about
the
history,
things
that
occurred
there
historic
places
that
reside
there,
historic
people
who
who
interact
over
the
place-
and
so
it's
a
rare
South
Carolina,
tell
where
I
don't
know
some
cool
little
story
or
a
hole-in-the-wall
restaurant
to
dine
in
and
and
so
that's.
What
makes
this
role
truly
enjoyable
yeah,
one.
C
A
We
went
on
people
with
probably
interested
to
know
that
you've
not
only
just
come
and
been
here,
but
you've
taken,
walking,
tours
and
riding
tours
and
and
are
familiar.
They
can
anyway,
and
certainly
in
your
role
with
the
Municipal
Association
you're
very
familiar
with
Aiken
as
well,
and
so
many
of
the
citizens
here.
A
C
I
can
say
you
took
us
on
a
phenomenal
tour,
the
other
day,
John
and
in
a
very
good
agree.
Yes,
sir,
that's
great,
and
so
even
though
I
had
been
acquainted
where
they
can
actually
saw
some
things.
I've
never
seen
before,
and
you
know,
learn
some
new
things.
I'd
never
known
before,
like
Hitchcock
Woods
was
probably
the
most
significant
new
thing
that
I
learned
about
akin
that
I
just
had
no
idea.
You
had
that
massive
of
a
you
know
preserve
and
that's
just
a
remarkable
feature.
Well,
don't.
A
C
A
You
know-
and
you
just
forget
about
over
the
years
just
how
would
a
unique
and
wonderful
place
to
the
possibilities
that
exist
for
the
use
of
Hitchcock
Eric.
You
see
a
lot
of
cities.
You've
been
to
you,
you
know
you,
you
probably
have
so
much
information
about
the
the
state
of
South
Carolina
and
how
Aiken
fits
into
it.
But
what
kind
of
cities
will
equip
from
Main
Street?
Is
it?
Is
it
there?
Is
there
a
size,
size
differential
that
plays
a
part
of
that
John.
B
B
A
I
think
our
viewers
would
like
to
know
that.
Well,
we
were
invited
up
last
week
and
met
with
both
of
you
in
an
initial
meeting
of
all
the
groups
that
are
all
the
cities
they're
involved
in
it
and
I
was.
We
came
back
from
that
real
energized
and
the
fact
that
it's
nice
to
be
in
a
room
where
you
have
that
many
cities
with
a
common
purpose.
We
have
we
found
that
that
we're
all
different
but
we're
all
the
same.
A
That's
right
and
the
enthusiasm
and
the
great
ideas
that
that
that
are
cross,
pollinated,
I
guess
it
was
kind
of
unique
I,
walked
back
and
said.
You
know,
people
that
are
willing
to
share
information
and
create
what
we
all
refer
to
this
day.
And
time
is
networking,
it's
a
I,
think
that's
a
vital
part
of
it.
Would
you
say
that's
true
I
think
it
is
yes
definitely.
B
C
Every
time
we
can
sort
of
tap
into
that
sort
of
body
of
knowledge,
speaking
purely
and
only
from
an
architectural
perspective,
you
know
if
they
fakin
were
to
call
me
tomorrow
with
a
preservation,
related
question
that
I
couldn't
answer
in
a
matter
of
minutes.
I
could
fire
off
an
email
to
the
other,
respective
Main,
Street,
architects,
in
America
and
within
hours.
I
would
have
a
body
of
information
to
share
with
you
guys
for
that
particular
issue,
and
so
you
know
your
membership.
You
know
pays
dividends
well
beyond
just
what
you
receive
on
the
local
level.
C
A
Was
amazing
to
me
just
I
brought
just
made
a
comment
in
one
of
our
sessions
and
during
a
break
one
of
the
other
cities.
Somebody
from
one
of
the
other
cities
came
up
and
said:
hey.
If
you
made
a
I
comment
night,
we
went
through
the
same
thing.
There
you
go,
can
I
share
with
you
and
I
said.
Please
please,
you
know,
let
me
take
notes
while
you're.
A
And
I
said:
I
walked
away
with
that
that
it's
you
know,
it's
wonderful,
that
people
are
willing
to
say
you
know
they
didn't
have
to
spend
that
time.
They
had.
It
was
a
break
time.
It
was
at
the
time
for
them
to
relax,
but
they
felt
you
know,
there's
a
camaraderie.
I
guess
that
develops
in
this
program,
and
I
think
that
was
one
thing
that
really
stood
out
to
me.
Is
that
there's
a
synergy
in
the
connection
and
tea
and
you
almost
feel
like
it's
a
teamwork.
It
is.
C
I've
always
found
Main
Street
people
to
be
some
of
those
generous
people
on
the
planet
and
I
like
the
fact
that
we're
all
about
a
common
mission,
you
know
we
care,
I
mean
downtown
aiken.
Succeeding,
helps
downtown
Lauren
succeed,
which
helps
downtown
Columbia
succeed,
which
in
and
so
we
all
view
it
as
we're
on
the
same
team
and
so
I'm
glad
you
had
that
experience
well,.
A
It
was,
and
Eric
came
in
there
and
shared
with
us
and
spent
some
time
with
us,
and
you
know
anytime,
you
you're
the
dreamer,
Eric's
the
the
practical
dollars
and
cents
and
appreciated
that
that
we
have
so
many
different
pieces
of
it.
You
mentioned
earlier
Eric
that
the
four
building
blocks
of
Main
Street
and
it's,
and
certainly
the
economics
of
it,
are
so
important.
A
B
Us
an
easy
one
say,
first
and
foremost
is
the
commitment
to
21
address
the
problem.
Right
second
I
would
say:
building
a
really
strong
public
private
partnership,
because
the
private
sector
and
the
public
sector
can't
do
it
by
themselves.
It's
got
to
be
a
group
effort
in
a
great
deal
of
citizen
engagement
and,
as
you
know,
that's
what
we've
done
on
tuesday
morning
and
then
I
mean
tuesday
evening
and
then
on
wednesday
morning
and
y'all's
turnout
was
absolutely
phenomenal.
I
think
we
probably
had
what
Randy
200
people.
C
Know
if
I
can
be
so
bold
I
get
nervous,
saying
these
kinds
of
things,
but
when
I
call
my
wife
last
night
to
debrief
about
the
day,
I
actually
said
that
was
probably
one
of
the
best
public
input
sessions.
I've
ever
been
a
part
of
and
I've
been
a
part
of
a
lot
of
them
and
into
Eric's
point
the
enthusiasm
and
the
degree
of
citizen
engagement
was
just
palpable
last
night
you
can
tell
these.
People
are
passionate
about
this
place
and
those
are
the
kinds
of
people
who
want
to
work
with
a
fine.
My.
A
B
C
It
didn't
exist.
Anything
that
was
even
close
was
was
really
almost
in
the
form
of
constructive
criticism.
You
know
the
only
one
you
know
strong,
not
so
much
a
caution
but
encouragement.
You
know
back
to
the
leadership
here
at
Eichen,
about
leadership,
I
mean
not
just
elected
leadership.
House
I
mean
just
community
champion
right.
Is
it
behooves
us
to
now
respond
appropriately?
You
know
if
people
have
been
generous
enough
to
give
up
their
time
to
come
to
speak
their
mind
about
their
aspirations
for
the
future.
C
This
place
it's
incumbent
upon
us
to
respond
as
quickly
and
as
thoughtfully
as
possible,
and,
of
course,
that
that
probably
entails.
We
can't
you
everything
that
was
desired
and
described
last
night
this
morning,
but
I
think
we
can
be
be
thoughtful
enough
to
figure
out
what
are
some
things
we
can
do
quickly
to
see.
So
people
can
see
why
they
really
did
listen
and
they've
implemented.
That
and
I
think
that
builds
confidence.
C
A
Was
just
blown
away
last
night
I
said?
Well,
maybe
it's
just
because
it's
the
last
thing
of
the
day
that
they're
going
to
do
before
they
go
home
for
most
of
them,
but
the
people
stayed
around
after
it
was
over
with
and
still
talked
among
themselves
and
with
you
both
of
you
go
or
the
whole
team
and
same
thing
happened
this
morning
right
yeah
one
gentleman
left
went
down,
the
hall
I
saw
him
and
who
was
went
down.
C
A
B
C
To
you
know,
get
feedback
to
to
Eric
or
myself
or
our
other
two
team
members
which
are
Pepe
Legrand,
who
is
the
director
of
main
street
south
calendar
or
monica
miller,
who
is
with
main
street
west
virginia?
You
know
all
you
have
to
do
is
if
you
can
receive
those
for
us
and
send
them
to
us,
we
will
absolutely
take
them
into
consideration.
B
It
is
we
say
we
will
spend
to
10
or
12
hour
days
in
you
naked
and
in
addition
to
the
input
sessions,
we've
had
a
number
of
small
group
discussions.
We've
had
one-on-one
meetings
with
key
community
leaders,
elected
officials
and
staff,
and
what
we
will
do
is
go
back
and
evaluate
everything
that
we've
heard
and
is
Randy
mentioned.
There's
two
other
members
of
the
team.
We
each
have
one
area
of
responsibility
that
we
were
responsible
for
pulling
the
report
together
to
address.
B
A
C
And
thankfully
we
had
a
little
bit
of
institutional
knowledge
about
Aiken
from
prior
experiences,
but
but
what's
really
interesting
in
a
way,
we
try
to
forget
all
that
and
come
in
and
do
the
baseline
assessment
in
sort
of
an
objective
way,
because
really
in
a
way
part
of
the
snapshot
is
giving
you
the
benefit
of
an
outsider's
view
of
what's
going
on.
You
know.
Sometimes
it's
really
hard
when
you
live
in
this
place,
24
7,
365,
you
know
change,
occurs
so
incremental.
You
may
not
even
notice
it,
whereas
we
come
in
it's
like.
C
While
we
see
this
change
or
this
new
development
of
this
opportunity,
and
so
we
had
all
those
those
input,
sessions
and
roundtables
and
10
ones,
but
but
part
of
the
preparation.
While
we
did
background
research
is
then
we
said
right
now
that
we
know
all
that.
Let's
just
start
over,
it
was
a
blank
slate
and
you
know
build
it
from
the
ground
up
and,
and
we
kind
of
refer
to
it
as
a
baseline
assessment.
C
A
C
A
B
A
C
You
know
whether
it's
your
downtown
and
you
know
again,
these
ally
of
trees
or
either
natural
environment
that
exists
in
Hitchcock.
Woods
are
out.
You
know
the
equestrian
areas
of
town,
the
historic
architecture
is
just
second
to
none,
whether
we're
referring
to
the
downtown
commercial
buildings,
or
particularly
the
just
stunningly
gorgeous
residential
one,
just
phenomenal
architectural
assets,
but
I
think
the
thing
that
that
that
sort
of
moves
us
from
planning
to
kind
of
culture,
the
presence
of
the
Arts
here,
the
presence
of
various
forms
of
culture.
C
You
know
whether
it's
public
art
installations,
the
Performing,
Arts
and
you're,
performing
arts
center
downtown
cultural
resources
such
as
the
library,
the
african
american
museum,
the
railroad
museum
I
mean
just
those
kinds
of
assets.
You
know
a
community
might
have
one.
It's
rare
that
you
have
a
community
has
so
many
matter
of
fact.
I
was
thinking
of
Aiken
today
and
you
know,
how
would
you
describe
a
can?
You
know
it
is
akin
a
horse
community
yeah
but
is
akin
a
historic.
Oh
yeah
is
taken
a
natural
environment.
C
C
And
I
promise
I
was
going
to
get
there,
but
but
thank
you
for
reminding
me
and
when
I
say
the
people,
I
don't
mean
that
in
that
sort
of
super
superficial
smarmy
way
that
was
like.
Oh
your
people
are
your
best
customer,
no
think
about
people
in
a
much
deeper
and
richer
way,
and
akin
I
mean
this
place
has
literally
been
the
melting
pot
for
centuries.
C
You
know
you
had
this
influx
and
the
industrial
age
you
had
another
influx
during
the
Cold,
War
and
so
you've
got
this
amazing
amalgamation
with
people
from
every
walk
of
life,
every
part
of
America
and
somehow
y'all
figured
out
a
way
to
make
it
coexist
in
work
and
not
lose.
In
my
estimation,
your
southern
charm
and
and
that's
to
be
really
committed
and
I
agree
with
you.
I
think.
C
A
We
appreciate
that.
Thank
you
for
the
kind
words
we
really
appreciate
all
the
hard
work
that
you
have
put
into
the
preparation
and
to
the
orchestration
of
this
this
whole
time
together
here
in
Aiken
and
its
side,
we've
been
looking
forward
to
it
for
a
while.
We're
so
glad.
Thank
you
for
being
a
part
of
it
sure
and
thank
you
for
being
a
part
of
our
program,
and
we
look
forward
to
being
with
you
again
next
week
going
Aiken
business
matters
like
your
jeans.