(KLZA)-- Falls City officials are continuing efforts to secure grant funds to help pay for projects and upgrades in the community.

During the July 1 City Council meeting, City Administrator Anthony Nussbaum updated the Council on a number of grant applications.

The largest request is for improvements to the city natural gas distribution system. A grant application for $9,514,776 to complete two critical projects for the natural gas distribution system has been submitted. The project is replacement of 21.17 miles of pre-code era coated and bare steel natural gas distribution main and 12.7 miles of pre-code era coated and bare steel natural gas service lines. Of the total grant funds, it would require $9,454,166 to complete the project. The remaining funds would go towards modernization of the existing leak detection and pipeline locating equipment with cutting edge, modern equipment.

A grant application has also been submitted for an $850 thousand project for the Grid Resiliency Project which will relocate electrical wiring from overhead to underground. The project involves replacing 60-year-old wooden structures and outdated components with modern underground cabling and new pole structures to project the distribution network from extreme weather and environmental threats.

Replacing 1,500 feet of overhead wiring underground will help reduce the risk of outages caused by storms, high winds and other natural events.

In addition Nussbaum reported the city received notice to proceed from the Revitalize Rural Nebraska Grant for demolition of 1817 ½ Stone Street, with a goal to complete the demo work by the end of August.

The 2023 Downtown Revitalization grant applications are due back to the City Office by July 15. Grant applications can be obtained from the Falls City Chamber Of Commerce and on the city website. A total of $165 thousand is available to local qualifying businesses.

The Falls City Creative District is working with Southeast Nebraska Development District to submit a grant application through the Rural Community Recovery Program for funding for development of a city park at 1506 Stone Street. No matching funds are required if the grant application is successful.

In addition, a letter of intent has been submitted to the Walter Scott Family Foundation as part of the Advancing Nebraska Communities Grant Program in hopes these grant funds would provide the necessary funding to complete design services and construction services.