On a day when progress was embraced about one civic Oak Harbor development, tension lingered over the state of another.

Scott Dudley, Oak Harbor’s mayor, and Ethan Spoo, the city’s economic development coordinator, reported to the Oak Harbor Downtown Merchants Association at its monthly meeting Tuesday morning that the city is moving forward in pursuing the Main Street program in an attempt to boost the city’s economy and revitalize downtown.

It was welcome news at the meeting, held at Paint Your World in historic downtown, with acknowledgement by Dudley that the Washington State Main Street program and local Downtown Merchants Association can co-exist and work together to attract more visitors to the city.

“I anticipate here shortly all organizations will continue to work together to see what we can do to drive people not only to Oak Harbor but to downtown,” Dudley said.

“It’s a win-win situation for everybody.”

Dudley has been eyeing the idea of Oak Harbor adopting the Main Street program, which is centered around promoting, preserving and embracing a city’s historic downtown.

It is designed to bring merchants together with the common goal of serving the greater business environment with membership, resulting in training, tax incentives and other benefits.

The city is acting as a facilitator to allow the process to move forward, Spoo said.

A meeting will be held today to set up an interim board of directors to start paper work.

“We’re in the process of baby steps,” Spoo said.

“We anticipate the official formation (of a board of directors) to happen by the first quarter of next year and then we can hit the ground running and see what Main Street can do to help stimulate traffic and economic viability for all businesses in Oak Harbor,” Dudley said.

Heather Carder, the Downtown Merchants president and owner of The Noble Horse equestrian lifestyle boutique on Pioneer Way, said she was initially guarded about the Main Street idea, unsure how it might impact the merchants association, but agrees that it’s the right time now to make the move.

She has been in talks with Dudley about the idea since late spring.

“I’m excited,” Carder said.

Carder was still reeling, however, over how the Downtown Merchant Association meeting ended.

Margaret Livermore, the merchants association’s past president and longtime member, abruptly left the meeting after reading aloud a statement over a disagreement she had with Carder over the Holiday Market.

The current and past presidents engaged in a lengthy email exchange that left both unsettled. The emails related to arrangements made to secure a location for the Holiday Market downtown without Carder’s knowledge or approval.

After Livemore left, members who attended the meeting spoke about the issue needing to be resolved.

“It was a miscommunication,” said Ron Apgar, owner of Paint Your World.

“You can’t read emotions in an email, and feelings get hurt.”