Versailles Village Council talks grants, ARPA funds

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By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

VERSAILLES — The Versailles Village Council met Wednesday to discuss grant applications, the American Rescue Plan Act, and the appointment of an Electrical Lineman I.

Council approved the consideration to authorize the village administrator to file a grant application with the Darke County Park District for the purpose of acquiring grant funds. These grant funds would be through the Community Parks Improvement Grant Program.

Applications are due on Monday, May 16, and with the council passing the resolution, the filing of the grant application will be completed with the intended goal of utilizing the grant for the replacement of the two swimming pool diving boards.

The Versailles Pool will be open on May 28 through Aug. 20 with pool passes being discounted to $10 through May 13. They can be obtained from the Village Utility Office until May 27. Chris Lennon will be the swimming pool manager, and Zack Ahrens will be the assistant pool manager for the summer season.

Council also approved the authorization for the Village of Versailles to use the standard allowance for the Local Recovery Fund as authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act.

“The final rule that came out in January actually eased up the restrictions on this money,” said Village Fiscal Officer Kathy Ording

The ARPA funds originally created an issue with the restrictions the grant money could be used for as new projects that may or may not be needed, paperwork, and the large amount of work that would need to be utilized by the council just to spend the money would be far grander than feasible due to Versailles being a smaller village.

“In January, the government finally listened to us, especially the little guys, villages, and townships. Now we could use the money in our general fund for general government services, and by using this money in our general fund, we could place benefits,” Ording said.

By having more of a free range on the ARPA funds, the village, if they so decide, could utilize the money for a big project down the road without any restrictions and limitations. There would be no prohibitions to any transfers of funds for specific projects in order to avoid all of the governing guidelines.

Council approved Ording to file to declare the Village of Versailles will be using the funds towards the standard allowance.

The council also approved the appointment of Mr. Clayton Duncan to an Electric Lineman I position for a one-year probationary period.

“Duncan just finished up with a 15-week North American Lineman training in Tennessee,” Village Administrator Mike Busse said. “He seems like a really good kid, and we look forward to bringing him on as a Lineman I.”

Busse said they will evaluate what his skills are and determine if he needs to be sent to further schooling, or if he has enough training and just needs some real world experience the village can easily provide him during the probationary period.

“Either way, he’s a really good candidate, and we will be glad to have him on board as one of our lineman,” Busse said.

Council also proclaimed May 8 through 14 as National Nursing Home Week.

“This is a proclamation we make every year,” Mayor Jeff Subler said. “We have a nursing home here in town, and this is to honor those folks who do that kind of work, taking care of our older generation.”

The next Versailles Council meeting will take place Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m., in EMS Building, 320 Baker Road, Versailles.

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

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