By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Commissioners met Monday to discuss the OSU Extension, the reorganization of members, and approve the authorization to proceed by Force Account. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Mike Stegall, and Larry Holmes were present.

Rhonda Williams from the OSU Extension gave the monthly update. The Hands Across the Darke volunteered at the Community Christmas display in Harter Park, Union City on Dec. 21. They received a donation of $339 for working which was 25 percent of the donations at the gate.

“We had a good night that night,” Williams said. “We weren’t expecting over $300 so that was a nice surprise.”

Williams talked about a Darke County 4-H alumnus, Molly Hunt, who was invited to represent 4-H alumni at the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees 2021 meeting at the Ohio Stadium.

“That was quite an honor to be invited back because she has been out for a couple of years,” Williams said. “We are very proud of Hunt and what she has done.”

The Speak Up, Speak Out! SPIN Club will meet virtually six times in January through February virtually. Another program that will be offered free to adults in March on Saturday morning is called Real Colors.

“Real Colors is a personality assessment, and it gives you tips on how to identify your own personality style and how you can use that personality style to work with others,” Williams said.

For more information regarding events, go to go.osu.edu/22darke4hcalendar.

The Darke County Commissioners partook in a reorganization of the Board of Commissioners and appointed staff members for the board. Holmes made the first motion to appoint Matt Aultman as the 2022 Chairman, and Stegall seconded the motion. Stegall was also appointed to the Vice Chairman position for 2022. The appointed Staff Members of Board were Robin Blinn for the 2022 Administrative Clerk/Secretary and Karen Avore to the 2022 Assistant Clerk/Secretary.

The commissioners also approved the authorization to proceed by Force Account in the amount of up to $100,000 for maintenance repair, construction, and reconstruction of county roads. The Force Account enables the County Engineer of Darke County to employ labor and proceed by the account to repair and construct roads, bridges, and culverts in the year of 2022.

The commissioners have a mutual agreement the number needs to be adjusted to a more reasonable number in order to better serve the community today.

“Our (State) legislature weaseled out, basically went down to the larger counties and the unions within those counties,” Holmes said. “$100,000 is better than nothing, but a quarter million dollars would have been a whole heck of a lot more flexible and be more reflective because it hasn’t been adjusted in like 20 years.”

Holmes continues on to say it is his editorial comment that he is disappointed in our leadership at the state level. He advised listeners to see their legislature.

“If we had a quarter million dollars here in Darke County, Jim Surber could do just about every bridge here in Darke County,” Stegall said.

Aultman explained how the amount allotted to the county by the state has a 20 percent hold back, so the total spending money for these roadway and bridge projects is only around $80,000 instead of the full $100,000.

“Right now that completely puts him (Surber) out of the bridge building business,” Aultman said. “It is clear that all three of us are very vocal on this subject because it is like any government ‘do more with less’ and this is going to start hurting us as we start.”

The Darke County Board of Commissioners meets every Monday and Wednesday 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].