Liz Zurawski is looking to bring business back to downtown Worcester.
To that end, Ms. Zurawski wants to regenerate Worcester Community Development, a once-active downtown group that's been quiet the past few years.
"There's too much not happening," said Ms. Zurawski, who manages Worcester's NAPA store.
"It's becoming a ghost town. There are so many vacancies."
She pointed to the Worcester General Store, which reopened last year in the former Worcester Market, but is closed now, and to the hardware store, which is for sale.
For starters, Ms. Zurawski wants to develop a Facebook page and put more information and photos on the Town of Worcester webpage.
She also hopes the rekindled WCD will organize "more summer events to draw people from Cooperstown, Richmondville and Cobleskill."
Trying to dress up downtown, Ms. Zurawski hopes to fill empty storefronts--temporarily--with work from Worcester-area artists.
"We have a lot of local artisans, painters, doll-makers and others," she said. "All we can do is try."
Worcester Supervisor Don Lindberg backs the effort but said local government should play a supporting role instead of leading the way.
"If we maintain the town and keep costs and taxes down, we'll get [new businesses]," Mr. Lindberg said. "But our job is not to bring them in."
Worcester's downtown problem isn't unique, he added. Many Upstate small towns face a declining population and therefore, the erosion of a downtown center.
"We're all in the same boat," Mr. Lindberg said. "But we've got to build on what we've got. There's no simple answer."
Ms. Zurawski knows the answers aren't simple, so she's looking for help. Anyone who has ideas or wants to lend a hand can call her at the NAPA store, 397-9409.
"It's horrible to see the town this way," she said. "We want to see more vibrancy. We want it to look nice."