Oxford’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board got a good old-fashioned pep talk last week.

“I believe in you. The county believes in you. We support you and we’re here to help and work with you,” said John Bry, program coordinator for Main Street Oakland County (MSOC), an economic development program for downtowns that emphasizes historic preservation and creating a sense of place.

Bry, who was hired earlier this year, is making it a point to visit the 24 MSOC communities, spreading words of encouragement.

“One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Those who say that it can’t be done are usually interrupted by someone who is doing it,’” he said. “There are plenty of communities in this county, and beyond this county . . . who are doing it. Oxford can do it.”

He used Flora, Illinois as an inspirational example. He called it “the town that could.”

When Bry took over as the Main Street director there in 1995, the town had a population of 5,000 with an unemployment rate of 18 percent.

“Half of our downtown was vacant,” he said. “About a quarter of it had burned and never been rebuilt.”

The sidewalks had “weeds as tall as this podium” and there were “streaks of rust coming down our light poles.”

On top of that, there were the “naysayers” who believed nothing could be done and left “lovely little threatening notes” in “our cars.”

“That was the mentality,” Bry said.

But thanks to the support and cooperation of the city, the local newspaper and radio station, banks and the “core” of the business community, Flora was able to overcome these obstacles and thrive.

“Within three years, our little rural Flora, Illinois became one of the top Main Street programs in Illinois,” Bry said.

During his last year as director, a statewide Main Street awards program was held and Flora won eight awards in roughly 15 categories.

Although having a good director and money to spend are “important tools” for revitalizing a downtown and building a successful Main Street program, Bry said, “At the end of the day, it’s the people (that make it happen).”

“It’s the attitude towards it,” he said.

If Flora can succeed, Bry believes anyone can do it.

“I see great promise in all of our communities across Oakland County,” he said. “I see great promise in Oxford. You guys already have some wonderful things that I would have killed to have had in Flora, Illinois, like buildings, for example.”

Bry let DDA board members know that MSOC is going to be with them every step of the way along their journey.

“We’re here to work with you,” he said. “You don’t have to wait for us to show up at an evaluation once a year. If you need something, technical assistance, support, whatever it is, call us, e-mail us, call me directly, call one of the staff, talk to us.”

Right now, there are only two communities in Oakland County that have ever won the Great American Main Street Award, a national honor bestowed upon communities that exemplify the use of the Main Street Approach to community revitalization and economic development.

Ferndale won it in 2010 and Rochester received it in 2013.

Bry sees no reason why Oxford can’t make that national list and he challenged the DDA board to do so. “I think you have that potential and I think more of our communities in the county have that potential,” he said.

“Great communities don’t just happen or fall out of the sky. They have made changes happen. And so every community has that possibility. It may take a little longer than others, but it can happen,” Bry noted.