The Warren City Council has agreed to go after several state grant opportunities.

The funding possibilities were pitched to the city’s Redevelopment Authority last week — $500,000 for development of a Liberty Street hotel; $25,000 for targeted blight planning; and $50,000 for commercial facade repairs. The funding stream in each instance is the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

City Manager Nancy Freenock said Dewboi Properties, the firm undertaking the Liberty Street project, is poised to match the $500,000 dollar for dollar as the grant requires.

Mayor Dave Wortman asked about the RDA’s ability to reinvest the funds.

The $500,000 grant would be loaned to Dewpoi Properties and the RDA would be free to reallocate the funds to other projects.

“It would essentially be a revolving loan fund,” Freenock said. “The purpose of the funding is for redevelopment. The purpose of this grant program is to reinvest in the community.”

“I love what Dewboi is doing,” Councilwoman Wendy McCain said. “In the future, when we have these kinds of opportunities it would be nice to put out an RFP (request for proposals) so other businesses could apply.”

She said that would give the city the option to pick the best project.

Freenock said the city “just became aware of this grant” and had a “very short window to apply.”

She stressed these opportunities also require a “project that is shovel-ready and ready to go.” The only other option, she said, was the other hotel project proposed by HIY, Inc. along the riverfront.

“They’re applying on their own,” she said, “so they have the ability to do that.”

Freenock also noted that the facade funds would be open to any business in the city’s commercial zoning districts.

Council also approved an $8,000 shortfall for two AED monitors that will also perform electrocardiograms.

Fire Chief Dave Krogler said the shortfall will likely be covered by grant funds the department expects to receive.

He said that having this equipment onboard both ambulances in some scenarios “could be the difference between patient life and death.”