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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The Kirksville Downtown Improvement Committee (KDIC) met with the presidents of A.T. Still University and Truman State University.

In the meeting, local business owners along with both university presidents addressed ways to make the gap between the universities and the downtown area, seamless.

KDIC strives to make downtown stronger while strengthening the community as a whole.

ATSU President Craig Phelps says improving the community is one of the university's goals.

"As a university, part of our charge, part of our mission is to be involved in the community whatever way we can be involved," Phelps said. "We had several staff members here to listen and to be able to provide assistance. We're looking for projects that we can get together on. Not only around health ideas and activities, but really how do we make the community better by focusing on some areas we could partner to bring people downtown into this community to share this wonderful experience that we have in Kirksville."

The group discussed three topics: aesthetics, environment and culture, as ways to improve what they call the "cultural hub of Northeast Missouri."