GREENVILLE – The Darke County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday afternoon.
Commissioners Matthew Aultman, Marshall Combs, and newly seated Aaron Flatter were all present.
Commissioners began with the Reorganization of the Board of Commissioners. Upon nomination results, Commissioner Aultman will remain as Chairman and Commissioner Combs will remain Vice Chairman.
Following the Reorganization, Commissioners also approved the Appointment of Staff Members for the Board. Karen Avore will officially take the position of Administrative Clerk / Secretary. Erin Lester will take over the position of Assistant Clerk / Secretary.
Under Resolution (R-1-2025), the Examination and Allowance of Bills dated January 7, 2025, was read and approved. The General Fund was $34,084.25; outside general funds were $28,811.61, for a Grand Total of $62,895.86.
Commissioners approved the County Mileage Rate, which was decided to leave at the current rate of $0.55 per mile.
Authorization to Proceed by Force Account was also approved. This pertains to the Darke County Engineer when the total estimated cost of the work exceeds $233,000. This means that the Darke County Engineer does not need Commissioners to invite or receive competitive bids but is still required to seek approval.
The contract reads, “ that the County Engineer of Darke County, Ohio, be and is hereby authorized to employ labor and proceed by “Force Account” in the maintenance, repair and construction of roads, bridges and culverts in the year 2024, in amounts of up to $ 233,000.00.”
Commissioners approved two items of business for the Darke County Sheriff’s Office. The first item was for Gideon Ministry to continue its service as Jail Chaplain at the County Jail. The second item was to allow Family Health Services to continue serving inmates at the County Jail.
“For some time now the sheriff’s office and county jail has been in a contract with family health service. That contract provides medical direction, so a jail doctor. Every jail in the state of Ohio is required by standards of law to have a jail doctor,” said Sheriff Whittaker.
Commissioners approved a contract between Wayne Healthcare to provide Tuberculosis Control X-rays. Commissioners agreed to pay $75.00 per X-ray as required for all counties in the state of Ohio.
Under Resolution (R-3-2025), Funding for Public Defender Comission in Darke County for 2025 between the Darke County Public Defender Commission and the Indigent Legal Asst. Fund (ILAF) was approved.
It was stated that Darke County shall appropriate and pay a total of $587,266.90 to the Commission.
An appointment for Brent Stastny for 2025 was approved. He will serve as the County Apiary Inspector. His job will consist primarily of caring for Darke County’s beehives. It was noted that this position is a requirement per the state of Ohio to ensure that beehives remain disease-free
Commissioners approved the Darke County Airport Taxiway Access Agreement with Midmark Corp. The agreement involves the county owning half of the Taxiway that goes to the Midmark hanger and Midmark owning the other half.
A Letter of Request was also read and approved for the 2025 Support for Funding of Darke County Economic Development Office.
Mike Bowers, DCED Director was in attendance and shared that the request is for the funding of the Career Connections Coordinator position that has been hired as part of the Darke County Economic Development Office in the amount of $65,494.00.
He explained that his request asks to come out of the #106 fund. An additional $286,944.00 would come out of the fund and be used as the budget for the DCED. In total, $425,439.16 was asked to come out of the #106 fund.
Commissioners also approved two appointments for members of the Darke County Zoning Commission. Brent Bergman ( Wabash Twp.) and Scott Smith were both recommended by the Wabash Township Trustees for the Darke County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Commissioner Flatter expressed his excitement for his term and looks forward to being a part of the Board of Commissioners.
