Issues with space at the Wright City Police Department and health issues at the public works department has the city discussing possible options including the application for a USDA Community Facilities Grant.

During the Wright City Board of Aldermen’s May 14 meeting the board members discussed an application for the grant which could provide as much as $500,000 for the purchase of a building which could serve as the city’s new police department and public works facility.

The board members had previously discussed, during their May 4 work session, the purchase of a building located at the city’s industrial park that previously served as Ameriwood Industries Inc.’s home office. The building is approximately 18,000 square feet and is located at 410 E. 1st St. During the original discussion on May 4, it was discussed that if they were to purchase the $1.5 million dollar building, the transaction would include transferring the current police station located at 203 E. Veterans Memorial Parkway.

During the meeting May 14, Mayor Michelle Heiliger said that if the city were to buy a piece of property somewhere else in town and build a new building it could cost several million dollars. She noted that the police department is currently out of space in its present building, a fact which was confirmed by Police Chief Tom Canavan who said the department is “at capacity” and “has very little storage” in their present building.

Alderman Don Andrews previously said at the May 4 meeting that he had concerns spending money for a new police department as the city has already recently put money into the current department. During the May 14 meeting he said he was not against the city seeking a potential grant for the $500,000, but still had concerns.

If the city were able to obtain the grant it could put the $500,000 toward the purchase of the former Ameriwood building and could not only house the police department in the building, but also the city’s public works department.

It was approved by a 3-0 vote to have the city expend $5,400 to apply for the USDA grant.

A separate agenda item involved required mold remediation to the current public works facility. According to estimates, it would cost approximately $50,000 to remediate the mold in the building. Heiliger said that the mold was bad enough that public works employees would have to move into city hall temporarily, while keeping their equipment at the current public works facility.

Andrews voiced concerns about the $50,000 price tag, asking if it made sense to spend so much money on a building that would eventually be torn down. The discussion between the board and mayor outlined the need to do something prior to the winter months, as the equipment would need to be stored in the current building through the winter. Eventually Andrews agreed that it cost nothing to put the remediation out for bid, but he wanted the opportunity to discuss the matter in a future work session once the bids came in.