Commissioners Corner
Parades, festivals and the Great Darke County Fair 

July celebrations have come and gone, the parade season is winding down, and families are completing their vacation time.  It won’t be long before football season is here, and of course, the Great Darke County Fair heralds the end of summer.  Let’s enjoy what’s left of the good weather while we can.          

July has been a very busy month for the Commissioners.  We have had all of the 4th of July parades to attend, and it seemed like everyone had a good time, including the Commissioners.  The 4th is always a particularly hectic day with 2 parades scheduled, Ansonia and New Madison.  Both parades were well attended and we would like to thank the good people of both communities for inviting us.  It is our pleasure to attend all parades and festivals, as it gives us and you, the people, a chance to communicate with us.  Thank you for allowing us to take part.  Of Course, July also means the Annie Oakley Festival, and the Gathering at Garst the last weekend of the month.  These events are always well attended, and a lot of folks attend the parades and shops downtown.  KitchenAid in downtown Greenville is always a treat to watch from our office.  The amount of people that go through that store on Annie Oakley/ Gathering at Garst weekend is fun to see.  Congratulations to Whirlpool on the complete success this store has been.           

Parades and Festivals have been just a part of the month for us.  We are still working on several projects that are of importance to the County.  We are still working on the airport project with the F.A.A., and we are in the process of doing a lot of work on County property.  This month we awarded painting contracts to 2 different County companies.  One contract was awarded to Longfellow painting for the painting of the maintenance shed at Darke County Ditch Maintenance on Front Street for $4,350.00. The other was awarded to Gower Painting for the painting of the Visitation House on 5th street behind Wayne Theatre for $4,860.00.  Both of these projects should add years to the life of these buildings.  We are also looking at some work at the Sheriff’s Office, and the Plaza on Wagner Avenue. We are also looking at some tree work to be done out at the Garst Avenue Facility.  All of this is being done to extend the life of these public buildings, and to present a good face to visitors to these places.  One personnel move of importance was the resignation of Rich Shafer from Ditch Maintenance, and the hiring of Jeff McMiller to replace him.  Rich is still a valued County employee as he went to work for the County garage.  Rich did a good, and important, job at Ditch Maintenance, and his replacement has big shoes to fill.  Jeff is a good, hard worker and we think his personality will be perfect for the job.  Jeff has already started to put his stamp on the Ditch Maintenance job, and we look forward to working with him for years to come.   Congratulations to both men on their new endeavors.         

Economically, we continue to pursue growth and expansion.  We would like to welcome Cast Metal Technologies to the Darke County family.  Cast Metal took over the old Non-Ferrous Plant in Union City when they moved here from Yorktown, Indiana.  We would also like to welcome the new Wayne Healthcare Cancer Unit to Darke County. This facility will allow our citizens to stay in County for vital cancer treatment, instead of traveling to Dayton or further.  Wayne Healthcare’s continued expansion will make this facility one of the leading health and well being hospitals in the region.  This is an outstanding addition for the Counties well being.  Welcome to these two new additions to the County!  Our other major manufacturers, and some smaller ones too, continue to look towards expansion.  We hope to announce more soon, but to keep in touch, “Like” Darke County Ohio Economic Development on Facebook, or just Google Darke County Ohio Economic Development.  Marc Saluk and Melanie Nealeigh will keep the residents updated on the latest in economic news on these sites. By keeping in touch on these sites, the public can see where we are headed, and keep informed on the latest in job creation and retention in Darke County. Darke County has been on the move the last several years, and it is a pleasure for those of us involved to share the good news, and keep you informed of our progress.   Our Workforce Development efforts continue to grow with the help of our Manufacturers, Schools, Judges, and the continued help of Jobs and Family Services.  This is a meaningful alliance of all involved, and we are starting to see this program bear some fruit. We will continue to work in this area for years to come, as this is a key in maintaining industry in our County.  The entire region is working on securing workers for the future, and our association with the Western Ohio Economic Development Association is a vital tool in this endeavor.  We have all taken this regional “one for all, all for one” approach because we have realized that there are no borders here, and our people can go work anywhere in the region, and that helps all of us.  This also eliminates some of the competition between Counties for employers, allowing all of us to give the best deal to the company, and for the County.  All three Commissioners, along with E.D. Director Marc Saluk were privileged to attend the “Meet and Greet” for the new Randolph County E. D. Director, Bruce Hosier.  The meeting took place in Winchester, and was attended by several area business people from Indiana, and one of the Randolph County Commissioners, Mike Wickersham.  Congratulations to the former Portland, Indiana Mayor and good luck in your new job.  We look forward to working with you! 

Summer is almost gone, but there is still plenty to do.  Why not come to a Commissioner’s meeting?  We meet Monday and Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Administration Building located in Greenville at 520 S. Broadway, just south of the Courthouse.  Hope to see you there! 

The Darke County Commissioners