UNION CITY, Ohio — The Union City Council met in special session Monday evening to pass an emergency resolution to apply for grant funding for a new park restroom.

Council unanimously passed an emergency resolution to apply for a state grant through the Nature Works Grant Program of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, as well as an emergency resolution for funding from the Darke County Foundation.

Heath Riffle from Mote and Associates spoke to council about the Union City Unisex Restroom Project.

The restroom design is a 12-foot-by-25-foot block structure that will contain two unisex restrooms with a small storage area in the middle, where the electrical panel and water heater will be housed.

The estimated project cost is $31,000, with engineering, permitting and construction phase not included.

Funding is intended to come from a Nature Works grant, as well as 2017 Darke County Foundation funding, a village local match and possible other sources.

The project would be constructed in the fall of 2017 or spring of 2018 and is contingent on receiving the grant monies.

While discussing the possible future improvement, council discussed the issues of graffiti and vandalism at Railroad Park, as well.

The Nature Works Grant Program is administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and is available to provide funding to all local subdivisions of government (local school boards are ineligible). The grants provide up to a 75 percent reimbursement in state funding for acquisition, development or rehabilitation of public park and recreation areas.