WATERFORD — Farmington and its Downtown Development Authority took home five honors at the annual Main Street Oakland County awards celebration held last week.
Downtown development groups from Ferndale, Holly, Pontiac, and Rochester each picked up three awards during the event, which honors members of the Main Street Oakland County program for their community development efforts. Other Main Street-member communities recognized Friday were Clawson, Franklin, Highland Township, Lake Orion, Ortonville, and Oxford.
More than 200 people attended the event, which was sponsored by ITC, the Michigan Downtown Association and Future Help Designs.
MSOC created the awards program in 2008. It recognizes excellence in downtown revitalization in five categories: Special, MSOC Spirit, Organization, Promotion, Design, and Business Improvement. Since 2001, MSOC downtowns have generated nearly $650 million in new public and private investment, created more than 6,000 new jobs, and established 870 new businesses.
Lon Bone, vice president of Genisys Credit Union and a member of the MSOC board, was honored with the MSOC Spirit Award. Highland Township Supervisor Rick Hamill was honored for outstanding leadership and integrity; and Clawson DDA member Billy Kelly and Pontiac Downtown Business Association Main Street member Glen Konopaskie were named outstanding board members of the year.
