FARMINGTON – The leader’s gavel for the Farmington Downtown Business and Professional Association has been passed from Mike Blanchet to Mike Mansir.

The group acknowledged Blanchet’s service as president for the past five years Wednesday during its monthly meeting. A plaque and gavel were presented to Blanchet to thank him for his leadership, Mansir said.

“Mike has done a fine job for us,” Mansir said. “He was always willing to roll his shirt sleeves up and get physically involved in our projects.”

Blanchet, an advertising account executive for the Sun Journal, has been a member of the group for the past 15 years. He served as vice president for a couple years and as secretary for another couple years.

Blanchet has worked with the Church Street Revitalization Committee on the group’s behalf. Under his leadership, the group bought American flags for the downtown area, exchanged large concrete planters for concrete sidewalk extensions for in-ground trees, installed bike racks, and purchased a sign on Route 2 near the town office, he said.

Mansir, a vice president and commercial lender at Franklin Savings Bank, said he’s looking forward to leading a “good organization that does a lot for the downtown area.”

His goal for the group will be to get more participation from businesses to work on projects and be involved in the group’s activities, he said.

One major project being developed is a downtown map that will list 117 businesses, historical sites, walking tours, and trails in the area.

“Our primary focus is to get people to look at Farmington as a place to come to, not just one to pass through,” he said.

The Downtown Association is being helped with funding for the $20,000 map project by the town of Farmington, he said. The group is also awaiting word on a grant from the Maine Development Foundation, Blanchet said.

Insyt New Media is using computerized graphics to create a unique 3-D map that the group hopes to finalize by April and have distributed to motels, kiosks, businesses and the Chamber of Commerce by May, Mansir said.

The group will also continue with its annual activities. The next one is the Strawberry Festival, which will be held Friday, July 25, and include Art in the Park.

Mansir’s officers include Donna Wheeler, vice president, Steve Gray, treasurer, and Nancy Morgan, secretary.

The group meets the second Wednesday of each month at the United Way office on Broadway.