The Washington City Council recently approved two resolutions to support applications for a grant and award.

The council approved to apply for a Wellmark Foundation grant to purchase a playset and surfacing for the Wellness Park. Mayor Jaron Rosien shared that the park board asked the council to approve the use of $50,000 in Washington County Riverboat Foundation municipal grant funds for the required grant match as those funds have come in greater than expected and budgeted by the city. “This grant would be $100,000 of a $225,000 project, and has buy in from civic organizations, the park board, the gift fund, and it’s important to the hotel/motel [tax committee]. And then at the top of the memo you’ll see that additional funds from the municipal grants that we receive from the Riverboat Foundation.”

Parks Superintendent Nick Pacha informed that the park board is hoping to receive $30,000 from the hotel/motel tax committee, $10,000 from the park gift fund, as well as $10-25,000 in fundraising and service club donations for the project. The council also approved for the city to apply for an All-Star Community Award from the Iowa League of Cities for work completed in 2021 for the Wellness Park. This award is to acknowledge and encourage excellence in local government programming.