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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- A grant is allowing the Kirksville Downtown Improvement Committee (KDIC) to hire a director.

The KDIC is using money from the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri, or DREAM Initiative.

The KDIC hopes to hire the director in January or February but they're already interviewing applicants.

Hannibal has hired a similar position but Kirksville will be one of the first DREAM communities to receive the grant.

“There will be other communities that will have this same type of position for their community as well.  So we are a little bit ahead of those other communities that have received the grant funding so we are finding the best person for the position,” said KDIC Search Committee Chair Kylene Puckett.

Puckett says the committee is still accepting applications for executive director.

“Their primary goal is going to be to fund the position after two years because it is a two year grant.  They need to make it self sustaining and then also come up with a grant that would be a funding source for the downtown so that we can do activities downtown and we can redevelop the downtown,” said Puckett.

Puckett says the director will promote the downtown area and get business owners and residents involved.

KDIC helps organize the Halloween Fun Fest and the Santa visits each year.

The director will also find more funding for revitalization and organize activities.

“It will be nice to have a person who will organize everything, get everything prepared create a funding source for us so that we can do more activities in the downtown so that we can bring more people downtown to revitalize it, look at grants for historic renovations in the downtown, do all the activities that as board members, volunteer board members we are unable to do,” said Puckett.

If you are interested in the position, you can stop by city hall with an application and resume or e-mail Cherie Bryant at cbryant@kirksvillecity.com.