By Ryan Berry

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, Feb. 29 at Birchwood Training Center. The location was different from their normal meeting location at the Darke County Administration Building due to the signing of a proclamation declaring March as Development Disabilities Month in Darke County.

During the regular session, Commissioners Matt Aultman, Marshall Combs and Larry Holmes approved a resolution authorizing a fund advance for the Versailles Kings Command Project. This is part of a 2022 Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development. According to Aultman, the project includes a water line to the new Kings Command building. The Village of Versailles drilled a new well two-and-a-half miles north of town. The grant helps pay for the waterline feeding from the well back to the village, which will also go to the company’s expansion. In order to qualify for the grant, Kings Command is required to increase its workforce and expand its production. Aultman said the county maxed out its grant of $500,000 in order to pay a portion of the project. This payment towards the project is $156,589.27. The county will receive the funds back from the grant after the payment is made.

Commissioners also approved A Squared Lawns and Landscape to construct a retaining wall near the new terminal building at the Darke County Airport. The cost of the wall is $16,037.50. According to Commissioner Combs, because this wall is at an airport special consideration had to be taken. “Landscaping around an airport has to be a certain kind and size because of wind and you don’t want mulch or loose stone or anything like that flying around. That was all taken into consideration when designing this,” said Combs. He further stressed the design took safety into consideration, as well as the appeal it would have for people flying into the area.

The commissioners set Friday, March 15, 10 a.m., at the Darke County Administration Building, 520 S. Broadway, Greenville, as the first public hearing for the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program. Governmental agencies and other guests will learn which programs are available through the upcoming CBDG cycle. A second public hearing is tentatively set for Thursday, May 9, 2:30 p.m.

The Darke County Commissioners declared four vehicles as junk equipment. The oldest of the vehicles is a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer with 157,150 miles. It had been operated by the Darke County Sheriff Office Auxiliary, but was taken out of service due to age, rust and mechanical issues. The newest vehicle declared junk is a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria, also used by the Darke County Sheriff Office Auxiliary. This vehicle has 178,037 miles and was taken out of service due to mechanical issues, which included a bad transmission, and age. The other vehicles are a 2006 Chevrolet Impala LTZ with 152,027 miles used by the juvenile probation department and a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer with 149,340 miles used by the Darke County Sheriff Office. Both of those vehicles cited mechanical issues as the reason for the declaration. It will be up to the county’s vehicle maintenance department to determine if the county will sell the vehicles or use them for parts.

The Darke County Commission meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30 p.m., at the Darke County Administration Building, 520 South Broadway, Greenville.

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