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Business and Faith Leaders Named to Red Oak, Old National Main Street Boards

City of South Fulton officials have named members to the city’s two Main Street Boards serving the Red Oak and Old National business districts.

Each advisory board consists of seven board members with the initial appointments serving terms of one two and three years. Each subsequent appointment will serve a three-year term.

The boards manage several tasks, including promoting and marketing their districts; making policy recommendations and encouraging high quality design, maintenance, renovation and repurposing of historic buildings. They also sponsor events and activities, recruit volunteers and advocate for the Main Street program.

“The board will allow us to target areas in the historic Red Oak district for improvement and preservation, development grant programs that support our local businesses and expansion of community events,” said Caitlyn King, manager of the Red Oak Main Street office.

“The Old National Main Street board will focus on long term and sustainable revitalization through intentional design, economic vitality, promotion and organization,” said Teresa Parham, manager of the Old National office. “The board is excited to partner with residents, businesses, organizations, churches, youth and government in planning a new narrative for the corridor.”

The new board members include:

Red Oak Main Street Board

Onita Howard – Librarian and bookkeeper with New Life AME Zion Church; Josephine Smart – Real estate agent with Charles Lawrence Realty;
Douglas Brown – Professional artist;
Dr. Ronald Tolbert – Owner of Red Oak Animal Hospital;
Dr. Sylvia Carter – Co-Pastor of Siloam International Church;
Sandra Green – Secretary of New Life AME Zion Church; and
Lee Muhammad – Owner of Green4Lyfe Farmer’s Market.

Old National Main Street Board

Phyllis Minter of KW Commercial;
Linda Hubbert of Franks & Associates;
Sherie Phillips of Exclusive Rim and Tire Rental;
Emmanuel Rainey of Ankle and Foot Centers of America;
Sherri Fisher of CenterWell;
Jonathan White of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge; and
Charlston Austin of Ace Hardware of South Fulton.

First launched in 1980, the Georgia Main Street Program began as one of the original pilot state coordinating programs of the National Main Street Initiative launched by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The program launched with five local communities, and has grown to serve over 100 communities statewide. Georgia Main Streets represent some of the strongest central business districts in the state and in the Southeast.

Both of South Fulton’s Main Street districts enjoy historic legacies as two of Fulton County’s historic thriving communities. The Old National Highway corridor served as one of the area’s founding commercial hubs and remains one of the city’s vital business districts. The unincorporated Red Oak community, which sat on the rail line between the cities of College Park and Fairburn, developed into a thriving town in the late 1850s as a direct result of the railroad.

Photos: Minter, White and Carter

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