By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWright City has scheduled two open houses to educate voters about an upcoming $1.5 million bond issue.If approved, the tax increase will allow the city to purchases property for a new city hall, make renovations to the existing facility and provide more park space.Voters will decide the ballot measure Aug. 4. A two-thirds majority is needed to pass the bond issue.The first open house will be held Thursday, July 23, from 5-6 p.m. at the current city hall, located at 203 Veterans Memorial Parkway.The second open house is Saturday, July 25, from 9-11 a.m. at the former Assembly of God Church at 636 Westwoods Road.Officials said visitors will have the opportunity to tour both facilities to see how the city has outgrown the existing offices. A floor plan also will be on display to show what renovations would be made to the former church building.“We want to let everyone see how crowded we are,” Mayor David Heiliger said. “We also want to let people see the new park ground and see all of the available space.”Wright City has agreed to pay $322,000 for the former church property, located just east of the Lions Club. However, the purchase is contingent on passage of the bond issue. The city would likely build ballfields and have a small playground on the property.As part of the proposal, the police department would take over the entire existing city hall, with municipal court hearings also returning to the facility.Court hearings are currently held at the Wil Heiliger Activity Building at Diekroeger Park. Officials are concerned about the appearance of having hearings held in a park near local youth.The bonds would be paid off in 20 years, city officials said.The bond measure, if passed, will increase personal property and real estate taxes by 19 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Most property owners would see their taxes go up between $0 and $70, officials said.For a home worth $100,000, the monthly increase would be an additional $3.17 per month; a $150,000 home would be $4.75; and a $200,000 home would be $6.33.The last time Wright City passed a bond issue was in 1994.Several years ago, the city purchased the former Big Boy’s property along Veterans Memorial Parkway as a possible future site for city hall and the police department. However, once the site was cleaned up, officials agreed the property would be best suited for commercial development that would bring more businesses and jobs to the city. The property is currently for sale.Wright City