Wright City is pursuing a Missouri state grant to fund downtown infrastructure improvements that are currently in the planning stage.

A Missouri Department of Economic Development Community Revitalization Grant would provide an infusion of funds to address issues with streets, stormwater drainage or other public infrastructure, said Mayor Michelle Heiliger. She discussed the potential grant with aldermen during a public meeting Sept. 22.

Wright City is relying on TMZ Marketing Services, a Chesterfield-based agency that provides economic development assistance, to proceed with the grant application process on the city’s behalf. The city is paying a fee of $9,500 for the grant writing service, with the chance to unlock much more than that in return, according to Mayor Heiliger.

“$250,000 is the minimum, and there’s no maximum to this grant. ... The sky is the limit,” Heiliger said. She explained that the grant requires a 50-percent matching contribution from the city, in the form of either cash or “in-kind” labor contributions. The matched contribution can be reduced to 20 percent based on need, Heiliger added.

“This grant can be used for the revitalization of the downtown area,” Heiliger explained. Infrastructure improvements, sidewalks, expanded public parking, safety fencing along the railroad, and beautification are all allowable uses for the funding, the mayor said.

Grant applications are due Nov. 28 and awards will be announced on Jan. 23.

Board President Ramiz Hakim noted that the Department of Economic Development has separated pools of money for different regions of the state, and that $10 million is available for the rural region that includes Warren County.

“Lucky for us, where we are situated ... gets us out of (the district of) St. Charles and St. Louis County,” Hakim commented. “There’s $10 million that’s going to be awarded amongst a number of very rural counties. When I saw that, I was pretty excited.”

Separately, Mayor Heiliger said the private nonprofit Wright City Downtown Revitalization Committee is also applying for grant funding to help with downtown improvements, and that the city government plans to work together with the private business owners and citizens who make up the nonprofit.

In May, Wright City hired engineering firm Bartlett & West to examine downtown infrastructure and create a comprehensive list of projects that need attention, along with conceptual designs and cost estimates for those improvements. The city is paying more than $108,000 for that service. A project list had not yet been publicized at the time of the grant funding discussion.

The city is working to plan for downtown improvements at the urging of area business owners, who want to see one of the city’s oldest districts return to being a center of community and commerce in town. But for that to happen, business leaders say investments need to be made into both public infrastructure and private buildings.