PREBLE COUNTY — The Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities Board would like to thank Commissioner Adam Craft, Commissioner David Haber and Commissioner Rachael Vonderhaar for considering the PCBDD’s request to purchase a building on our behalf at their regular scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 26.

Although no action was taken, the Board Commission appointed Commissioner David Haber to be “point person” for future discussions regarding a potential purchase of property.

On Tuesday, May 18, Commissioner Haber then attended the Preble Art’s Board meeting to make an offer to purchase the Arts’ building and land, located at 601 Hillcrest Drive in Eaton. Commissioner Haber invited PCBDD Superintendent Bethany Schultz and Maria Morgan, Community Education and Special Projects Coordinator, to attend with him to answer any questions that the Preble Arts Board of Trustees may have.

During the meeting, representatives from the PCBDD shared the plans for the use of the building: Project Life, Project Search, and Self Advocacy. Opportunities for partnerships were also discussed in addition to answering questions. Preble Arts thanked Commissioner Haber, Bethany Schultz, and Maria Morgan for coming to express an interest in purchasing the Preble Arts Building.

Commissioner Haber concluded with sharing the process to purchase, should Preble Arts accept the Preble County Board of Commissioners’ offer on behalf of the Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Although the Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities does have funds set aside for capital improvements, as a county board, we are required to follow a set of procedures, per Ohio Revised Code. The following are the required protocol: DD Boards may receive by gift, grant, devise or bequest real property to hold and utilize in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant or bequest. However, Ohio Rev. Code § 5126.05(F), does not provide authority for the DD Boards independently to purchase real estate, 1982 Op. Att’y Gen. No. 1982-018.

Nevertheless, Ohio Rev. Code § 307.02 authorizes the Board of County Commissioners to “purchase, for cash or by installment payments, enter into lease-purchase agreements, leases with option to purchase, lease, appropriate, construct, enlarge, improve, rebuild, equip, and furnish … [a] community developmental disabled facility.” Hence, real estate for DD Board facilities may be purchased by the Board of County Commissioners. See also 1970 Op. Att’y Gen. No. 1970-062 authorizing the Board of County Commissioners to purchase real estate to construct a developmental disability facility.

The above protocol was taken from the Ohio County Board of Developmental Disabilities Handbook (Revised July 2018), Page 22, Section J.

The PCBDD would like to also thank Commissioner David Haber for taking time to accompany Bethany Schultz in looking at another potential property. PCBDD is seeking a one story building with ample parking and green space. The uncertainty of a pandemic has encouraged everyone to rethink and refocus on what is truly important. The goal of the PCBDD is to explore all options and find the right location to meet the needs of our individuals. The PCBDD is currently located at 200 Eaton Lewisburg, Eaton, OH.

It is the vision of the Preble County Board of DD is to provide the best possible opportunity for individuals with devel opmental disabilities to have the kind and quality of life he or she chooses.

For more information about the Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities, please see our webpage at: https://prebledd.org/