By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

A correction has been made. Michael Beasecker, the superintendant of the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities, will be retiring at the end of the year, not Mike Boyer.

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Board of Commissioners met Monday to discuss the OSU Extension, Employment Applications, and Levy Renewals. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Mike Stegall, and Larry Holmes were present.

Rhonda Williams with the OSU Extension gave an update on what the branch has currently been working on. A project the group partook in was the making of care packages including hand warmers, chap stick, candy, granola bars, hand sanitizer, popcorn, tissues, beef jerky, candy canes, peanuts, and peanut butter crackers.

“The one thing I want to highlight from the 4-H program is Hands Across the Darke met last week and assembled 50 care packages for our first responders, and so far they have been delivered to Union City Fire and Police and Greenville Township,” Williams said.

Moving forward, the group has two more packages to be delivered with the goal to provide them to the communities that become overlooked when things happen. Upon the list is North Star Fire and Rossburg Fire.

“Hands across the Darke will be working at the Community Christmas Display at Harter Park a week from tomorrow,” Williams said. “We will be manning the gates from 6 to 9 p.m., so if you haven’t seen that display yet, it is really nicely done. Well worth the drive.”

Darke County Prosecuting Attorney, Kelly Ormsby, III, also spoke up at the meeting regarding an Application to Employ for the Legal Counsel to assist the Prosecuting Attorney in pursuant to R.C. Sections 2941.63 and 305.14(A). The application presented is for the authorization to employ Anthony E. Kendel, a Miami County Prosecuting Attorney, or any of his assistant prosecuting attorneys he may designate as legal counsel, to assist the Darke County Prosecuting Attorney in the possible prosecution of an action.

“There was an incident at the Darke County Jail that the Sheriff felt we needed to consult with outside agencies on to see if there should be a consideration of a prosecution of a deputy,” Ormsby said.

By employing an outside prosecutor to work alongside the Darke County Prosecuting Attorney, it ensures a fair investigation and potential prosecution, so there wouldn’t be any consideration of the prosecution taking certain actions due to potentially knowing the deputy.

The commissioners approved the application of employment before discussion about the renewal of a Tax Levy came to light.

The commissioners approved Resolution (R-422-2021) declaring it necessary to Levy a Renewal Tax to seek voter approval to renew all of the Existing Levy for the purpose of providing for the operation of community programs and services authorized by county boards of developmental disabilities.

“The Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a levy that is going to be expiring. It is a 10-year, two-mill levy, and the board determined it was necessary to put that in on the May primary 2022 voting,” Mike Beasecker said.

Beasecker is retiring at the end of the year, and Tonya Clark will be taking over and seeing to project out in his absence.

“I will remind you this is a renewal levy which means there is no increase in taxes,” Clark said. “We are requesting a 10-year, two-mill renewal levy.”

Following the commissioners approval for the necessity of the Levy, the commissioners approved Resolution (R-4233-2021) declaring the intent to proceed with the election of the Renewal Tax meaning residents of Darke County can have the chance to vote for the levy renewal in the May 2022 primaries.

To levy a renewal tax in excess of the 10-mill limitation in the amount of two mills for each one dollar of valuation, amounts to $0.20 for each one hundred dollars of valuation for a period of 10 years. The board once again stressed how the levy is a renewal and will not increase voters taxes.

“I think it is an appropriate time to say I have been involved with the Board of DD in various roles,” Holmes said. “Dollars have always been effectively and well spent.”

Having a nonprofit point of view on the group, Holmes explained how the board’s work does not go unnoticed before addressing Beasecher and his retirement.

“I would like to wish Mike good luck. Enjoy your retirement, and I have enjoyed our time we have known each other and the leadership you have provided to that group,” Holmes said.

“I don’t usually say a whole lot in the comments, but Mike, what you have done for our community over the years of your service is phenomenal,” Aultman said. “I’m going to get choked up a little but here, but the care and passion you have for all your folks that you deal with and the folks in this community is far beyond what makes Darke County great.”

The staff at the Darke County Board of Commissioners Office extends a congratulations and good luck to Mike Beasecker on his retirement.

To contact Daily Advocate reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].