EATON — During a Wednesday, Sept. 6, meeting, Preble County Commissioners passed a resolution transferring funds for the Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities into the DD’s capital fund. The approximately $624,000 can then be used in the DD’s ongoing quest to construct a new, easily accessible facility on property it owns in Eaton.
“Preble County Board of Ed has levy language that is limiting as to what we can do with property and buying what we need to,” DD Superintendent Brian Green told commissioners prior to the board approving the funds transfer.
“When I first came on board, the board was quite clear they wanted a long-term plan of building on the land that they own,” he noted.
DD originally purchased 9.6 acres where the ASK playground is located, adjacent to the former L&M building which is now the Nazarene Church.
The board would like to have their facilities located there as well.
DD’s offices are currently located in the Preble County Professional Building, on Eaton-Lewisburg Road.
“We were looking for temporary accommodations for either a three- or five-year plan, and I think we talked at length to try to find something to work for us. The elevator that we have is iffy sometimes —we’re on the second floor,” Green said. “We serve people with wheelchair needs. It just isn’t very good. So that’s our long-term goal.”
“The problem I had is that the only money that I had that I could ever spend to build a facility was the sale of the L&M Building, and the funds that we got from that was about $400-and-some thousand. For that, we had some of that we committed to the CDBG project that was approved last year for the restrooms for the ASK Playground that’s on the same property we’re talking about,” Green said.
DD would like to construct a facility that has offices, a conference room, and training space.
“In the meanwhile we’ll probably stay put where we are,” Green said. “It’s so expensive to move. And I think their goal is ultimately not pay rent,” he said of the DD Board.
“I’d like to get an RFQ out,” Green said. “See what kind of facility we can build. I’m trying to bring as much in grants as I possibly can and to try to come into Preble County to help fund a lot of that.”
“I don’t like the idea that DD’s paying rent. I never have liked that idea. And the amount of rent that you’re paying for a second-floor facility doesn’t serve you. It doesn’t serve your patients very well,” Commission President Adam Craft said.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.
