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THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
W E E K E N D E D I T I O N - J U LY 2 2 , 2 0 1 8
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR!
Commission, judge at odds over courthouse steps and security SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – Darke County Common Pleas Court Judge Jonathan P. Hein says he’s “baffled” by the commissioners’ actions regarding updating courthouse security – and repairing the building’s front steps. “We’re getting very little answers because they are doing something they aren’t qualified to do,” Hein said of the commissioners going ahead with hiring an architect to design a new entrance to the courthouse. “Right now,” the judge said, “the commissioners are out of their authority. Here’s the problem – they don’t make the decisions.” Hein said the steps project falls under the safety and security of the courthouse and is the responsibility of the county’s judges and sheriff. “All they (commissioners) have to do is pay,” Hein said, for the renovation, which would include
secure ingress and egress for courthouse employees and patrons. “It’s a legal duty for judges to have a security plan for when they take office,” Hein said, explaining how he complied by preparing a plan when he first took office nearly 20 years ago. Municipal Court Judge Julie Monnin, Hein said, also has prepared a security plan, noting all that was left to check off both judge’s plans “is a secure entrance” to the courthouse. “A year ago I hired my own architect and developed a plan. The sheriff had a few tweaks,” said Hein, who said he spent $10,000 of his own budget on the architectural design work and blueprints. “The commissioners saw that plan, didn’t do anything with it and hired their own architect. My plan is more architecturally correct.” Commissioners on April 2 approved the hiring of Mote & Associates as architects for the courthouse entry project. On April 18, they approved a $42,000
Superintendent Doug Fries expects work on the new parking lot next to Memorial will be completed next week.
contract with Mote & Associates for surveying, measuring and designing new courthouse steps. Hein also voiced concern about commissioners not seeking input from the judges or Sheriff Toby Spencer. “I don’t know why they won’t have me, Julie Monnin and the sheriff meet with the architect,” Hein said. “They haven’t asked for input. It’s at a standstill. Until they have the judges and sheriff meet with the architect, it isn’t going to get done. The sheriff has a state statute that says he’s in charge of security.” Commissioners say the courthouse steps renovation is moving forward following a meeting last week with Mote & Associates and a meeting this week with an outside attorney. The attorney, who com-
missioners do not want to name at this time, is affiliated with the CCAO – County Commissioners Association of Ohio. Commissioners say, according to the attorney, they are responsible for work and repair at the courthouse. “We were advised today (Wednesday, July 18), when it comes right down to it is is our responsibility on how the courthouse is laid out,” Commissioner Mike Rhoades said, adding “we’re going to work with him (Hein). But it’s going to be a lot different” than Hein’s proposal. According to both Hein and county commissioners, the Ohio Supreme Court has set security standards for the state’s 88 counties regarding providing security within the courthouse with the admonition to
The Darke County Courthouse steps and building security will be the topic of an upcoming public meeting, says Commissioner Mike Rhoades. The date for the meeting has yet to be announced.
“balance the diverse needs of the county.” Commissioner Matt Aultman believes the replacement of the steps and providing security are “really two separate issues. He’s (Hein) trying to pull in the courthouse steps renovation with security. They are two separate
things.” Rhoades said a public meeting is being planned within the next couple weeks, with commissioners and Hein scheduled to be present. “We want to get along with him,” Stegall said of Hein. “But we also want to do what the public wants.”
County’s proposed 2019 budget in the red SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Auditor Carol Ginn on Monday presented commissioners with 2019 general fund budget appropriations totaling $21,946,230.57 – a more than $1,000,000 shortfall. According to Ginn, the county is currently losing approximately $800,000 in Medicare and Medicaid taxes. In her proposal, Ginn states: “The budget submitted for 2019 must address the lost revenue from the elimination of the sales tax
on Medicare and Medicaid services. In the absence of a revenue replacement mechanism, the commissioners must reduce the appropriations for 2019 by $1,084,311.57, which is the amount the current (2019) budget is in the red.” After unanimously passing the proposed budget, commissioner Mike Rhoades made it clear that the county’s elected officials were doing their part to maintain expenses. “All elected officials are holding their own. It’s not their fault, not our fault,” Rhoades said, citing unfunded mandates as another reason cuts may need to be made later this year. “
Rhoades called the budget proposal “a tool” commissioners will use during the next few months to prepare for any changes that may need to take place. “We’ll take a look this fall and see where cuts could be made,” Rhoades said. “We don’t like passing this in the red, but facts are facts.” Both Ginn and Rhoades said the last time a shortfall budget had been passed in the county was approximately 12 years ago. Also Monday, commissioners approved an emergency resolution to approve a $23,500 quote from Point to Point Systems of Cincinnati to repair the HVAC unit at the Wagner Avenue
Government Center and approved a letter of recommendation to contract with Crawford, Murray & Tilly of Columbus to provide consultant services for the Darke County Airport. This action replaces the county’s longtime consultants Stantec Consulting Services Inc. After conducting interviews with three companies, Rhoades said, CMT “rose to the top” mainly due to their relationship with the FAA. Commissioners also reached out to neighboring counties for input and received a positive recommendation from Shelby County concerning CMT, he said.
Fries gets 3-year term; retire/rehire approved Haitian mission team back safe and sound RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – After hearing a few comments regarding the retire/rehire of Superintendent Douglas Fries at the June Greenville City Schools Board of Education meeting, the audience remained quiet on the issue at the July meeting on Thursday evening. With a 4-1 vote, the board agreed to accept the superintendent’s retirement and rehire him with a three-year contract. Fred Matix offered the lone dissenting vote, but explained it wasn’t because he thought Fries wasn’t doing his job. “I’m going to vote no,” said Matix. “I’m in favor of a two-year contract for Mr. Fries.” He added that the district has a proven person that has done a great job, but he doesn’t believe they need to go out three or four years with the contract. He would rather set up goals for the superintendent and if he meets them, then extend the
contract. Board President Brad Gettinger expressed an opposing opinion stating, “We are trying to do a better job of looking ahead and being more strategically minded. I feel the three-year term provides some additional stability.” Fries gave an update on the buildings and grounds and the work that is being completed. “You can see a lot of work has taken place around Memorial Hall this week,” he told board members. The walks have been completed and gravel and a basecoat of asphalt have been laid in the new parking lot where the junior high once stood. “We expect in the next week to see completion of the parking lot,” he added. At the K-8 and high school buildings, the parking lots have been resealed and restriped. Additional work includes corrective playground painting and resealing the terrazzo flooring is underway at the K-8 building. Visit www.bluebagmedia. com to see more of the story.
LINDA MOODY
CORRESPONDENT
UNION CITY, Ind. – The Pleasant Hill Church mission team that recently visited Haiti is now home safe and sound. The group of seven – six from Pleasant Hill and one from Hillgrove Federated Church - was scheduled to come home July 7. However, the day before, the president of Haiti Jack Gy Lafontane raised gas prices from 35 to 50 percent, so Haitians demonstrated, especially in Port-au-Prince. “We left for the airport Saturday morning but kept coming up on roadblocks where protesters burned tires and rubbish,” said Behr, a retired postal worker. “This was not directed toward us. They were protesting the fact we were driving. After a number of roadblocks, we came to a complete stop and couldn’t get into the airport. A 45minute trip took us three hours.”
The group finally got to leave Haiti on July 9, arriving in the United States the next morning. The local mission team was working in Cap-Haitien. Going to Haiti with Behr were Bruce Davison, Jared Dunlap, Trevor Spence, Ashley Dance and Aliya Zimmers, all from Pleasant Hill Church, and Tony Neargarder of Hillgrove Church. This was the first time for Behr and Zimmers to travel to Haiti; however, the others have been there before. “Our church usually goes to Haiti once a year,” Behr said. “We went over June 30 to help with the Cowman School affiliated with One Mission Society, which is an English language Christian school. Some of our team laid cement and three of us, Aliya, Jared and I worked in the Bethesda Medical Clinic, taking vitals, working in the infant room, helping with immunizations, weighing and praying over a lot of the many hurt and ill people.”
Robin Behr, left, and Aliya Zimmers look over photos that were taken on their recent trip to Haiti. It’s the first time they made the mission trip and would return again. (Linda Moody photo)
The church they attended was called Bethel Evangelical Church, and now the local mission’s goal is to raise money to put a roof over that church. “It was very inspirational and gratifying,” said Behr. “It was a little intense when trying to get back to our compound when the flight was cancelled but we felt God’s protection.” Zimmers, a senior at Union City Community High School, said yes and
no that she was glad to be back home. “When we hit the riots, we all held hands and prayed with a sense of peace. We knew the only way to get out was through God,” she said. Behr and Zimmers will be among those who made the recent trip who will make a presentation at Pleasant Hill Church on Sunday morning, July 22, on their recent experiences in Haiti. The public is invited to visit Pleasant Hill Church Sunday. It is located at 9948 N. 800E, northwest of Union City, Ind. Church starts at 9 a.m., and the presentation will be made during Sunday school starting at 10:30 a.m. “We are going to Livestream it on Facebook live,” Zimmers said. It was noted that anyone interested in donating to the Haiti church roof or the Haiti radio station 4VEH, for whom they evangelized, may contact the church. Pastor is Bruce Bryan and the church can be reached at 765-964-3664.