TRR photo by Tom Kane Partnership executive director Carson Mader, left, discusses Main Street businesses with Honesdale Business Association President Tom Hasshauer. (Click for larger image)

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE - Carson Mader, executive director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership, is a man with a mission.

Four months ago, Mader took on the job of making Honesdale a better place to live, shop and visit.

"You absolutely cannot do without somebody focusing on the town's development full time the way Carson is doing now," said Tom Fasshauer, president of the Honesdale Business Association. "We know that it will pay off."

Two years ago, the leaders of the business community initiated a period of research and study of the area's businesses to develop a good business development plan. Then, they hired Mader to implement the plan.

"The main goals cluster around the idea to enhance and promote retail in the area, and improve the general appearance of the area," Mader said. Honesdale and the surrounding area are beautiful already, he said, but a little attention will maintain and improve it.

Mader spends much of his time traveling about town, tapping the ideas of business people and civic leaders as to what the partnership should be doing and getting their involvement. "People need to be included in the concept of an economic development plan and [raising] the funds necessary to carry it out," he said. The partnership has launched a fund-raising campaign asking businesses and individuals to contribute $1,000 over five years. The program provides some longevity to the effort, he said, adding that economic development programs take time before exhibiting hard results.

As to those results, Madar said, "The fund-raising campaign is at the $40,000 mark for this year. One year ago, there were 17 empty stores in the town. Now there are only six."

The partnership was launched with a $20,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Ten thousand went into attracting and assisting businesses and the remaining $10,000 partially funded Madar's salary.

A program under the partnership, called Helping Hand, awards small grants to businesses starting up in the area. For instance, a new business can receive $250 toward approved signage for its building, $250 for advertising and another $300 specifically for radio ads. "We have assisted five of six business already in my short tenure," said Madar.

Mader is directing other grant-seeking efforts toward agencies that assist in economic development, including a grant proposal to the USDA for $90,000 for revolving loan programs to assist businesses in expanding or getting started.

Other proposals are being directed to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

"Four months seems like a long time, but it takes a great deal of time and effort to make a partnership like this work," Mader said.