1. The director of economic development, with the approval of the director of the department of natural resources, subject to other applicable provisions of sections 447.700 to 447.718, may issue a grant to a governmental* agency for the purpose of paying the allowable costs of public capital improvements needed to cause an eligible project if:

(1) The project otherwise qualifies as an eligible project and is economically sound;

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 447.706

(2) The project proposed is a cooperative venture between a municipal or county government and a prospective private purchaser of the facility;

(3) The prospective purchaser is unable to finance the entire cost of the project through ordinary financial channels upon comparable terms and, further, a lender is unwilling to make the loan even with a loan guarantee pursuant to section 447.704. When completed, the eligible project is projected to create not less than ten new jobs, or shall retain a business which supplies not less than twenty-five existing jobs, or a combination thereof, providing not less than an average of thirty-five hours of employment per week per job. Such projection shall be made by the department of economic development; and

(4) The amount to be issued in a grant shall not exceed one million dollars.

2. The determinations of the director of economic development pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall be conclusive for purposes of the validity of a grant agreement signed by the director.

3. Grants from the property reuse fund pursuant to this section shall be such as the director of economic development determines to be appropriate and in furtherance of the purpose for which the grants are made. The moneys used in making such grants shall be disbursed from the property reuse fund upon written order of the director of economic development. The director shall give special consideration in setting the required job creation ratios and project locations for project grants that are for voluntary remediation actions.

4. The director of economic development shall issue such grants to a governmental agency to administer and direct the expenditure of the funds for public capital improvements. Such grant money shall not be used to hire or pay additional employees of the recipient governmental agency.

5. The director of economic development may fix service charges for the** making of a property reuse grant. Such charges shall be payable at such times and place and in such amounts and manner as may be prescribed by the director.