St. Charles Port Authority secures grant money for riverfront developments

The county with the most riverfrontage in Missouri finally has a functioning port authority.

St. Charles County has secured $3.5 million in grants to improve their river terminals in Augusta and at Klondike Park and expand river tourism. This is the first time the new Port Authority Board has secured any funding after being formed by the County Council, with members appointed in 2020.

The grants still need final approval by the State Highway and Transportation Commission, but this represents an effort by St. Chalres County to compete with the rest of the state for commercial and tourism that a port authority can bring.

St. Charles County Councilman Mike Elam said in a press release that he's excited that the ordinance passed.

“After I learned that by not having a Port Authority, we were leaving money on the table, I started lobbying and educating other Council members about why having a Port Authority is a good thing,” he said. “I’m excited that some of our infrastructure tax dollars are coming back to St. Charles County.”

The project includes $2.5 million that will go toward things like water, electric, sewer and dredging, and the remaining $1 million will be used to rehabilitate the river terminal near the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Museum.