His first “official” day as the Aberdeen Revitalization Movement Main Street executive director is Feb. 1, but since his hiring was announced Tuesday, Wil Russoul has put in long days as he steers the city toward Main Street designation.

Well-known in the downtown Aberdeen area for his efforts to build a music district and pair downtown businesses with local artists and musicians looking for venues, Russoul said he was overwhelmed when he was offered the position.

“I am humbled and honored to do this,” he said. “I feel so blessed with so many good people who have been supportive (of revitalization efforts downtown). I want to see it get better.”

Russoul was one of five applicants for the position, said Aberdeen Revitalization Movement President Gary Jones.

“I think the group agreed Wil was the right choice because of his current efforts in the downtown core, with the music district work and his talent for connecting people,” said Jones. There were five people on the interview panel, including Aberdeen Mayor Erik Larson.

The goal of the Main Street program is to improve the downtown core, said Jones. That means making it more visually appealing and encouraging more people to spend more time in the local businesses there. The program will attempt to encourage new businesses to set up shop downtown and look for ways to capture the thousands of tourists who pass through on their way to the beaches and get them to stop and stay a while downtown.

“We also act as a liaison of sorts between local government and businesses,” said Jones. He explained the job of government is to create regulations for businesses and enforce those regulations. When regulations hinder improvements to businesses or may keep new businesses from coming to the downtown core, Russoul will serve as a go-between and work toward a solution the city and business can agree upon.

Russoul said the rich history of the area will help as the city works toward Main Street designation.

“That’s the great thing; we have history here,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know Boeing started here. Kurt Cobain is still the second most talked about figure in the music field in the world.”

Russoul said everyone can pitch in to reinvigorate the downtown core by introducing their friends and neighbors to what it has to offer. He said he wants to be a “cheerleader of good messages” about Aberdeen locally and beyond.

“How many cities have a two-lane highway running right through downtown?” said Russoul. “How are we going to dress that highway up?”

Current plans include the Gateway Center, a combination visitors center and office building on East Wishkah Street just west of the Wishkah River, which was just granted $1.75 million in the state capital budget (the project would cost more than $8 million to complete). Also there is a plan to upgrade Zelasko Park across the street, which would include a replica lumber schoooner. The Zelasko Park plan is in its early stages and has not yet been presented to the city for consideration.Russoul will also continue to pursue the formation of a centralized music district in Aberdeen, and encourages everyone to promote the positive things about Aberdeen.

“Let’s show what we have here that’s good,” he said. “The greatest asset is the Pacific Ocean, and we have the second biggest salmon fishery in the state in the Chehalis River.”

Russoul and Jones both envision a downtown that will give the tourists passing through a reason to stop and stay a while.

“Aberdeen has three times the tourism as the state average,” said Russoul. “Let’s catch some butterflies and show them what we have here.”

Most people see Russoul as “the crazy guy with the guitar,” (his words) walking and singing his way through town, stopping in at local businesses to ask if he and other acts can play there. He’s a singer/songwriter who performs solo and in other bands, performing across the county and beyond. What many people don’t know about is his long career in government.

“I just retired from almost 40 years in government,” he said. “I had a very interesting career. I got to put stuff together for veterans, worked for Homeland Security, travel across the country.” He was also among the responders at the 2014 Oso landslide.

Aberdeen is currently an affiliate Main Street city, but needs to officially apply for Main Street designation by the end of October, said Jones.

Russoul encourages everyone to get involved in the revitalization movement.

“My door is open,” he said from his new office at the Aberdeen Revitalization Movement located on South I Street, next to Boomtown Records and across the street from the D&R Theatre. “I hope folks from all around see me as approachable.”

Russoul’s executive director salary is funded through a contract between the Aberdeen Revitalization Movement and the City of Aberdeen, approved by the city council last August. The contract with the city lasts for three years and pays Russoul $60,000 annually.

The benefits of Main Street designation go beyond the downtown core, said Russoul.

“The focus is downtown but the whole county benefits,” he said.

The Aberdeen Revitalization Movement is seeking people to take spots on four separate committees related to the Main Street program. Anyone interested in chipping in can go to downtownaberdeen.com for more information and contacts. There will also be a meet and greet at the D&R Events Center in Aberdeen on Feb 8, where Russoul will provide more information on the program.