Mayor Dan Rowden plans to continue encouraging growth in Wright City after receiving support from voters last week to remain in office.Rowden has served as mayor since being appointed last year following the death of Mayor David Heiliger. This was his first election to the position.Rowden and three incumbent aldermen were reelected April 3, the same day voters approved Prop U, the sale of the city’s public water and sewer systems.“That’s going to be a big carrier of progress for us,” Rowden said.The city will avoid the expense of major upgrades to its water and sewer systems by selling the utilities. State-mandated changes and adding new capacity to accommodate growth are problems city leaders said would be better solved by connecting Wright City’s systems to Public Water Supply District No. 2 of St. Charles County.PWSD 2 already has the capacity to meet Wright City’s growth and fulfill state mandates.“I think people recognize the need and recognize the potential for it to be a win-win situation for the citizens of the city and (PWSD 2),” Rowden said.The public water district has agreed to pay $10.5 million for Wright City’s network of sewer facilities, wells, water towers and pipes.About $1.2 million of that will be used to purchase 62 acres of land for a public park on Westwoods Road. Repairing and improving city streets and other infrastructure has been listed as the next priority for Prop U funds.However, Rowden said the sale and transition of the city’s water utilities likely won’t be complete until late summer or early fall, while PWSD 2 completes its “due diligence.”After that, the city will take its time to plan how to best utilize the land in the park before beginning any development, Rowden said.Growth and communityThe challenges with the water and sewer systems were reflective of the ongoing expansion of residences and new businesses in Wright City. Planning for that growth is one of Rowden’s goals as mayor, but he also said he values the sense of community that exists now in Wright City.“We want to grow. We need to grow. But we can do that in a reasonable fashion where we’re not overwhelmed. We can keep that community feel,” he said.The city already has ongoing projects to meet future needs. A new city hall building is expected to be complete this year, followed by the start of renovation of the city police station.Rowden has presided over those and other projects, and acted as representative for the city at local and regional gatherings, since the death of David Heiliger in July 2017. Rowden said Heiliger was the one who involved him in city leadership in the first place.“My wife tells me ‘You have right hand syndrome,’ ” he joked, adding, “I believe in giving back to the community I live in. I think it’s important for people to step up.“There are parts of this job that are frustrating ... but I find it rewarding.”

Dan Rowden