By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday to discuss the electricity supply agreement and proclaim Feb. 16 as Jon Cook Day. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Marshall Combs, and Larry Holmes were present.

In a matter of examination and allowance of bills, the general $32,388.91, and the outside general fund had a total of $106,164.95. The county has a grand total of $138,553.86 in funding.

A recommended expense request for the Darke County Prosecuting Attorney’s office was approved for James Bennett. The request was for him to attend the 2023 OPAA Spring Training in April. Totals for the trip are $102 for transportation, $46 for parking, $318 for lodging, $120 for meals, and $300 for registration. This brings the estimated total for the meeting to $886.08.

The commissioners approved the certificate of appointments of two positions for both the Darke County Job & Family Services and Michaels Resource Treatment Center. Berkend Pura was appointed as Social Worker 2 at Job & Family Services effective Feb. 28, and Katina Hollopeter was appointed as residential counselor for the treatment center effective March 6.

“We welcome our two new employees. Hopefully that will go well for them, and we look forward to them joining us,” Holmes said.

Aultman spoke up about the electricity supply agreement saying they are going to recess the agreement due to having to wait on bids. Bids were due Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. before the Regular Agenda Session, but they only received one out of two bids. The commissioners deemed it necessary to have a second bid to compare the two before moving on with their decision.

“We are going to recess before they come through because these things are time considerate, so once we go through the bidding process, we have to sign the contract and do everything in a shortened time frame,” Aultman said.

The Daily Advocate will provide updates as the bids come through and a decision is made.

The commissioners submitted a journal entry regarding a proclamation proclaiming Feb. 16 as Jon Cook Day in Darke County. It stated Darke County has been very lucky to have had the leadership of Cook, as he first started for the County in Sept. of 1997 as a part-time employee before becoming full-time in Oct. 2005. He finished his tenure with the County as the “Facilities & Safety Manager on Nov. 30, 2018.

In 2006, Jon was appointed as a board member to serve on the Darke County Park District, after the retirement of Susan Gray, of whom was one of the original Commissioners. As a board member, Cook took on many roles as serving as President, Vice President, and Commissioner at Large for the Park District until his retirement date of Sept. 2022, and he agreed to continue to serve as a consultant to the Board until the end of the year.

The commissioners changed the Regular Session for the Darke County Commissioners scheduled for Thursday, March 2, at 1:30 p.m. Instead of being held at the commissioners’ office, it will be held at the Darke County Board of DD/Birchwood Training Center, 5844 Jaysville St. Johns Road, Greenville, for proclaiming the Month of March as “DD Awareness Month”. The Commissioners and DC BDD Staff & Clients will be having a “Proclamation” signing at 1 p.m. Everyone is invited.

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