DARKE COUNTY – The Darke County Commissioners’ first regular session of 2026 started at 1:31 p.m. on January 6th with Commissioners Aultman, Combs, and Flatter present. The Commissioners then approved the minutes from December 30, 2025.
The reorganization of the Board was next. The Chairman will be Matt Aultman, and the Vice Chair is Aaron Flatter.
Staff for the board will be Administrative Clerk/Secretary Karen Avore, and the Assistant will be Kim Bair.
Regular meeting times and Dates were set. They will be 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, and 1:30 on Thursdays.
Commission Board representations for 2026 will be for the Chairman the Board of Revisions, County records Commission, Tax incentive review Board, and 911 Advisory board. All Commissioners are on the Board of CIC, Community Corrections, MRTC Advisory and Executive Board, Upper Ludlow Group Project, Courthouse Security, Emergency communications, and Darke County Planning Commission.
The representations for the individual Commissioner’s were next. Matt Aultman will be on the 4H advisory committee, CIC Community Corrections, MRTC advisory and Executive Board, Record Retentions, Communications Committee Chair, and One Ohio region 15.
Aaron Flatter – Family/Children’s first Council, MVRPC Commission and Executive committee, and the County Opiod Board.
Marshall Combs- D.C. Visitor’s Bureau, Solid Waste Board, Darke County Extension Advisory Council and Committee, and the Microfilm Board.
The County mileage rate was set at $.60 per mile, and the Meal Allowance at $70.00 per day.
The Authorization to proceed by force account was accepted up to $233,000.00
Per Sheriff Whittaker, the Jail Chaplain will be Gideon’s Ministry, and the physician will be Family Health with no price change. Both were approved.
The Policy for persons looking at record storage will be the same as it was; a person from said office will be appointed.
The County Apiary Inspector will be Brent Stasny, and his salary will be $14.50 per hour.
A fund transfer was next for Ditch Maintenance for $28,074.46, to finish out the 4th quarter of 2025.
The Designate for the Rep. and alternate for voting at the CCAO meetings for 2026 were set. Marshall Combs will be the Representative, and Aaron Flatter will be the Alternate.
The Commissioners then approved the exempting of County Purchases under $1,000.00 from a certificate of Availability requirement.
A letter from the Economic Development office was accepted for operational funding from fund #106 for $359,086.00 and was approved.
The mandated share for JFS Public Assistance is $88,067.00, approved on December 30, 2025. The Support for 2026 is $61,199.83 per month for Children’s Services.
An agreement between CTL Engineering/Level MB Construction for the D.C. Hangar Project for necessary inspection and quality control was approved.
The Topp Counseling rates were approved to be reimbursed for Wellness Screening and individual Therapy.
The agreement between App Architecture, Inc./ Brumbaugh Construction for the WAGC-D.C. BOE Interior renovation for $538,000.00 was approved.
The Sheriff had an expense request for $858.20 for Austin Knight to attend the Level 1 Crash investigation in Massillon, Ohio, January 12 -16.
A letter from the EMA for a request for County funds to match the Emergency Management Performance Grant in the amount of $49,317.00 was approved.
Darke County Grants had several fund advances. For the 2023 Lead safe Ohio Grant, $87,160.00 was advanced to cover final payment for the Sleppy Property and Codiak LLC Contract. The 2025 Brownfield Grant was advanced to cover the contract for the Treaty Lanes project in the amount of $33844.38. The 2025 Box Hangar grant was advanced $31,949.84 to cover Level MB pay app #4. Finally, the 2025 Brownfield Grant for Palestine paid $325.00 to Turn Key for post-asbestos Inspection.
The 2025 County Highway System Mileage Certification was next. County Road miles were 524.645 as of December 31, 2024. As of Dec. 31, 2025, the County was responsible for maintaining 524.238 miles.
The examination and allowance of bills dated January 6, 2025, was last. The General fund amount was $1,220.75; Outside General Funds were $800,460.95; the total was $801,681.70.
Session ended at 2:11 p.m.
