By Drew Terhall

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Board of Commissioners renewed two new contracts to begin their meeting on Sep. 21,

The board approved two contracts to provide medical services to the Michaels Resource and Treatment Center. Director of Darke County Job and Family Services Carla Allen said the contracts help the center stay consistent with their treatment model and be compliant with the state family department.

“Part of the Family First Prevention Services Act, residential facilities are required to be compliant with the Ohio Department of Health and Family Services for the QRTP. QRTP is Qualified Residential Treatment Programs. This requires us to have a licensed nursing staff and a licensed clinical staff to provide care within the scope of their practice,” Allen said.

The center is renewing their contracts with Robert Scheiding for the nursing side of the requirement and renewing with Beacon Counseling and Consultation for the counseling side. Both do have current contracts with the center. The contract with Scheiding is set to increase by $22, with the bump from from $168 to $190. It’s a two-year agreement for both parties.

The commissioners is moving $15,000 for public defense within their attorney fees.

They then approved the transfer of appropriations for the Darke County Sheriff to cover training expenses and housing of inmates in other jails until the jail remodeling is complete.

From the uniform funds $3,000 is going to travel, lodging and meals while $50,000 is being moved from machine and equipment plus $5,000 to intergovermental payments.

Comissioner Matt Aultman said Judge Travis L. Fliehman came in last Tuesday to talk about balancing out a previous grant. The county is going to be getting money back after the grant has closed.

“Judge Fliehman was in Tuesday afternoon and said when we originally signed up for the Community Corrections Grant, the county gave a matched portion towards that. When it closed out, the dollars went back. You see all of the numbers going back. The additional $23,289.87 was the balance of the county share that did not get used for the grant dollars,” Aultman said.

It is expected to see more changes in the balance sheets to even out the balances from the different grants.

“As we’re closing out grants, as we get closer to the end of the year, you’re going to see all kinds of balance sheet changes and adjustments. This is just one of them,” Aultman said.

The commissioners approved an agreement between the Darke County Local Emergency Planning Committee and Darke County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The LEPC agrees to pay $8,000 to the Darke County HS and EM.

“Basically what it does is it’s an agreement to house or use the space the county pays for with EMA. It’s a way to get the funds for the services and the use of the space,” Aultman said.

Lastly, the commissioners agreed to pursue additional funding for the Fort Jefferson sewer development. The money would be used towards funding the design part of the project.

Aultman said they already got the funding last year for $25,000 for the planning. They will now apply for additional funds to the Ohio EPA – Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance.

“The next step is applying for design money. This total for design money is $240,000 is what we’re asking Ohio EPA for. You have to apply for it in a loan first, it’s a non-interest bearing loan. Then typically, they take their dollars and it becomes a grant after it’s awarded. In the past, that’s what all the projects is, there’s multiple steps as we go forward,” Aultman said.

The Darke County Board of Commissioners holds a regular session every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at 520 South Broadway, Greenville, Ohio 45331. For more information, contact the commissioners’ office at 937-547-7370.

Contact Daily Advocate Drew Terhall at [email protected]