By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Board of Commissioners met Thursday to discuss broadband and Domestic Violence. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Mike Stegall, and Larry Holmes were present.

A proposal between the GBA Systems Integrators, LLC and Darke County Commissioners was approved. The proposal is in relation to the Rural Communications System Implementation Plan with Darke County.

“This was working through the broadband proposal. It came to our attention that there was an organization out there that can do a complete study of the county to find out what our needs are,” Holmes said.

Holmes said the company will be able to assess where the county does and does not have coverage along with what providers there are where. He says it gives them an engineered study of where the county has needs.

“It is also going to provide suggested solutions and timelines that are realistic,” Holmes said.

Compensation for the scope of services detailed above shall be completed for a lump sum fee of $20,000, and this will include all labor and expenses, unless agreed upon in writing by both gbaSI and Darke County that an additional labor and associated expenses will need to be provided.

An expense request that had been tabled at the previous meeting had been discussed and approved for Travis Fliehman to attend a National Judicial College in October for a total of $3,239.70. The expense request had been tabled due to Fliehman not being sworn into office yet, and the commissioners did not want to sign off on an expense request for an individual not yet employed for the county.

“We did talk to the prosecutor’s office, and they stated, after some research, the expense does fall under the ORC 109.43 which allows new, incoming judges to get training before they take the bench,” Aultman said.

He also said it is allowed, under ORC 2303.201 under section e, the ability to use special funds from the Common Pleas Court to pay to train judges. Between those two, the prosecutor’s office believes the expenses are covered and legal. The approved expense was for airfare, Uber costs, lodging, meals, and registration.

In a letter of support from the Shelter from Violence, Inc., domestic fees for 2023 in the amount of $11,500 was approved. These payments are to help with fees that come from going through the divorce court and domestic violence cases.

“It is a house where people, typically women and children, can go to from a battered relationship, so it allows them to have a safe place to go here in Greenville,” Aultman said.

It is an undisclosed residence here in Greenville, and this is just to help support it. Aultman said this is just a support system to help people to get out of a bad situation and onto their feet.

The commissioners approved a CDGB Economic Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program Application for the Village of Versailles. The grant is for Kings Command of Versailles, and they have assured the creation of 60 new permanent full-time equivalent jobs. The Proposal was approved for the submission in an amount not to exceed $500,000 for the Village of Versailles to be used for the installation of 18,00 L.F. of water line and to commit $15,000 for the Darke County Revolving Loan Funds for expenses related to the administration of said grant for this same project.

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].