Prior to the vote of the electors authorizing bonds, or an additional tax levy as provided for in sections 345.02 to 345.05, inclusive, of the Revised Code, the taxing authority of the township or county or the mayor of the municipal corporation may, regardless of whether funds are presently available to complete the project, appoint a board of trustees, as provided by section 345.08 of the Revised Code, to determine and recommend to the taxing authority of the appointing subdivision the nature, extent, and estimated cost of an appropriate war memorial.

Such board shall formulate specific plans for the erection of such war memorial, or alternate plans, and obtain estimates of the cost of the completed project and all other information and data reasonably necessary to advise the residents of the appropriate subdivision as to the proposals of the board, either as an incident to an election for the voting of a tax levy or authorizing a bond issue, or both, for the purpose of erecting such memorial, or for the information of the appropriating authority in the event that the funds are available without a bond issue or additional tax levy.

Such board may call upon county engineers, city engineers, and other agencies of the appropriate subdivision to assist such board in preparing its proposals for such war memorial.

The taxing authority of the township, county, or municipal corporation may appropriate such amounts as are reasonably necessary to defray the preliminary expenses of such board incurred in hiring architects, engineers, and other persons or organizations to assist in preparing plans and estimates of the cost of a war memorial.