Main Street America conducted an accreditation visit in Newton this week. The visit focused on the city’s efforts and community involvement in revitalizing the downtown area. Since Newton was one of the first cities to be assessed under new accreditation criteria, there was a full day of meetings and training sessions that brought together city staff, elected officials, Main Street Board members, and volunteers. Danielle Rogers, the City of Newton’s Community Marketing Manager, says there were small group meetings that allowed Main Street America representatives to discuss Newton’s progress directly with city leaders and community stakeholders. She adds specialized training was given to local Main Street board members, city staff, and local volunteers. This training was aimed to provide insight into Main Street America’s updated standards. According to Rogers, it strengthened the local Main Street representatives’ understanding of the best practices for community and downtown development. She says feedback from Main Street America on Newton’s accreditation review is expected in December. Rogers expects it to give the city an idea of how the local Main Street effort is aligning with the new standards, and offer some guidance on continuing efforts to enhance Newton’s downtown.