By Ryan Berry

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Commissioners are completing their final demolitions with funding provided by the state. Commissioners Matt Aultman and Marshall Combs agreed to a contract with Bleil Excavating and Farm Drainage to demolish buildings at 9879 Beam Road, Ansonia and 11531 State Route 118, Ansonia. The cost is not to exceed $14,355. The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31. Commissioner Larry Holmes was absent.

Because there are funds remaining from the initial $500,000 grant, the county is looking at several other properties around the county to clean up.

Commissioner Aultman announced the county also is currently seeking another $500,000 from the state to clean up properties around the county. He said he is hoping Greenville will be more involved this time around. “Two years ago, they were asked, and they did not provide a list of properties or did not get engaged with the homeowners on providing any kind of properties to get cleaned up.” Generally, the villages and township trustees have assisted with getting the names of the homeowners. He said they asked the same of the city in order to get in contact with the property owners so they could get permission to get it cleaned up.

He shared the two properties that were completed in Greenville did not receive assistance from the city. Aultman said he acquired the signatures on the former Blosser Lumberyard and because it is adjacent to the former East School lot, it could be used for building housing in the city. Former Commissioner Mike Stegall assisted in getting the signatures on the property in front of the softball academy. Aultman said both were eyesores and were safety hazards.

Commissioners also approved a contract with Advanced Excavating & Demolition, LLC to tear down a portion of the former Gettysburg School. The building has been remediated from hazardous materials, such as lead and asbestos. The county received funding due to the property being considered a Brownfield Site. The cost for the demolition is $108,750.

The county received funds from several outstanding grants that will be advanced back into county funds. The county received $307,111.70 in grant money from the 2023 Airport Runway Rehab Grant which will be advanced back into the General Fund and an additional grant of $12,200 will be advanced back into the Solid Waste Fund.

Commissioners also approved a change order for the Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sanitary Sewer in the Village of Gettysburg. Funding for this comes from a Community Development Block Grant. The contract was changed for waterline materials to repair an unmarked waterline hit during construction at a cost of $657.95 and an addition of site restoration, grading, seeding and straw at a cost of $2,100. The project is now expected to cost $45,032.95.

The Darke County Commissioners meet on Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m., at the Darke County Administration Building. Meetings are open to the public.

To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].