By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Commissioners met last week to discuss an addendum of contract and tank removal. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Mike Stegall, and Larry Holmes were present.

The commissioners approved the fixing of date for the second public hearing for the CDBG Allocation and Set-Aside programs. The next hearing will be on May 3 at 10 a.m. It is the intent of the commissioners to apply to the Ohio Department of Development for funding under the Community Development Block Grant as Darke County is eligible for $232,000. The first of the two meetings was held on March 8.

Dale Musser, facility and safety manager, met with the commissioners to discuss an addendum to contract with Koorsen Fire & Security.

“We have two analog phone lines coming into the courthouse that monitor the fire alarm system, they are failing,” Musser said. “Koorsen suggested they put in an Ethernet line.”

He continues to state the line is already in, and they are just awaiting Koorsen to hook it up in order to change over from analog to Ethernet. There are no changes in the cost from switching over from a hard wire.

Musser also discussed the abandoned diesel tank at the Sheriff’s Office stating it needs to be removed.

“This will probably be a summer project,” Musser said.

His recommendation for the tank removal was Reliable Construction with a $23,384.02 quote, sidewalk replacement was Sower’s Construction with a $4,200 quote, and blacktop replacement was Wagner Paving with a quote of $5,992. The commissioners discussed with Musser his reasoning’s behind the recommendations as the blacktop replacement recommendation of Wagner Paving was higher than the competition, Flory Landscape.

“Underneath government rules, we don’t have to take the lowest bid, but we can take the best bid,” Aultman said. “It is the recommendation that we take Wagner Paving because it is something they do every day versus what Flory’s does.”

He continues to state Wagner is an expert in the field to replace the blacktop, thus the reason why the choice for blacktop replacement went to Wagner even though the cost difference is higher.

“It is no reflection on Flory, as we are sure they’d do a good job,” Stegall said. “It’s just Wagner does this for a living, and I’ve seen their work for the last 40 years and they do a great job.”

The Darke County Board of Commissioners meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at their office located at 520 S. Broadway Street in Greenville. To contact the office, call 937-547-7370.

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