Macon City leaders asked people to participate in public meetings that continue this week that will focus on ideas for the Second Street Revitalization Plan.

The first phase of the plans involves building a curving connector between Second Street and Little Richard Penniman Boulevard. About $8 million from the special purpose local option sales tax that tax voters approved last November will help complete the initial part of the plan. Mayor Robert Reichert said this will help transform Second Street into a pedestrian friendly corridor and bring business into the downtown area. However there are still some businesses owners who said they are a bit uncertain about what exactly is happening at this time.

“I don't know what they're plans are I don't know how they plan to connect this," downtown business owner of Sew Bizzy, Diane Clough said.

Clough said she’s heard about Mayor Reichert's Second Street proposal but is unclear what the changes will be.

"I'm not really sure exactly what the purp…I mean if they connect it bring it all together that's great."

Since Friday, city planners and consultants with CHA and Huntley Partners have been hosting public meetings to get ideas and opinions from residents, business owners and people who visit the downtown area. They're goal is to figure out what people want incorporated into the proposed Second Street plan.

"Connect the different centers of economic activity into a comprehensive centergistic package that would create this vibrant urban core that we're looking for that can then become the hub city of the Middle Georgia region," Mayor Reichert said.

Some people who live in Macon agree that needs to happen.

"We have too many derelict buildings sitting around down here and we need to bring in more business and fill them up because we have the largest collection of antebellum homes and buildings,” downtown visitor and local realtor Barbara Knight said. “We have a beautiful town and we need to do something more about it."

However, Clough said holding meetings during working hours make it hard for business owners to attend.

"People who operate businesses in the downtown area, 9 o'clock (a.m.) is not a good time because people are trying to get their businesses open."

Reichert said he's trying to accommodate everyone's schedules and once there is a concrete plan on Second Street it will be available for people to read about.

“We're trying to incorporate a roll out of the information and putting it out."

Public design meetings will continue tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Armory Building on First Street. People living and doing business in the area are strongly urged to attend.