By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Board of Commissioners approved a transportation agreement Tuesday during their regular session. Commissioners Marshall Combs and Larry Holmes were present.

The Darke County Commissioners have partnered with Darke County Job & Family Services and Spirit Medical Transport, LLC to purchase services from July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025 to provide transportation to any Darke County resident that meets the criteria of the DCJFS transportation medical program with medical related appointments being a priority.

This is in addition to, but not limited to, at-risk families and/or youth who are experiencing crisis and family problems, children with the potential of being placed in an out-of-home placement, disabled, and elderly.

The approved hours for reimbursable service of Monday – Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. – noon on Saturday. This contract does not establish a subrecipient or subgrantee relationship.

Rates are per passenger, and DCJFS will not reimburse for fees associated with “no shows”. To travel within Greenville City Limits and to include Family Health Services, the cost is $32 per person each way. To travel within Darke County, the cost will be $40 per person each way plus $3.50 per loaded mile per person each way. For travel outside of Darke County, the cost will be $45 pick-up charge plus $3.50 per loaded mile per person each way.

“These funds come from outside funds provided by Jobs & Family Services, so it is a pass through for us at this point,” Holmes said.

For more information contact Darke County Job & Family Services at 937-548-4132.

The commissioners awarded the PY2023 “Lead Safe Ohio Grant” for Michael’s Resource Treatment Center and Anthony Wayne School. The funds may be utilized to remove presumed lead-based paint exterior building components. The Darke County Board of Commissioners have identified the MRTC as a child care facility that is eligible to receive benefit of exterior repairs through this program.

The project amount is to not exceed $115,200 to be paid to Eicher Construction Services, LLC who will be replacing 72 windows and three doors. The 72 windows happen to be double windows, so the project window total is 144. The same contractor will be replacing seven exterior doors, five interior doors, and a set of windows in the amount of $48,100. The project is not to exceed $100,000.

$10,000 was approved and transferred by the commissioners to cover tornado and lightning damage from the beginning of the year. It was moved from the machine and equipment +$5,000 fund to the damage claims fund. Commissioner Holmes said this amount will be reimbursed, as the county has reached its deductible needs.

The Darke County Solid Waste transferred $12,000 from their other operating fund into their equipment minus $5,000 fund to cover the transfer for additional costs of cap benches, etc. These benches are made out of recycled bottle caps. Most of the time, when you recycle a plastic bottle the caps are not able to be included. Instead of throwing them in the trash to slowly decompose, the Darke County Solid Waste will transform those caps into benches that are used at the Darke County Fair, etc.

For more information regarding the type of caps accepted and where to drop them off, please visit www.co.darke.oh.us/solidwaste/capsnlids.html.

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