COUNTY
OFFICES
COUNTY POWERS
County government does not possess home rule authority. That is to say, county officials may act only when and as specifically authorized by state law. An 1857 Supreme Court case established a general theory of the status of counties which is still relevant today. The court stated:
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“Counties are local subdivisions of a state, created by the sovereign power of the state, of its own will, without the particular solicitation, consent, or concurrent action of the people who inhabit them…. With scarcely an exception, all powers and functions of the county organization have a direct and exclusive reference to the general policy of the state, and are, in fact, but a branch of the general administration of that policy. (Hamilton County v Mighels, OS 109).”
AUDITOR
CONTACT
Carol Ginn
Darke County Auditor
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse 1st Floor
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7310
Real Estate: 937-547-7308
Fax: 937-547-2500
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:00pm
Email: carolaginn@gmail.com
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Website:
Auditor – ORC Chapter 319
The county auditor is the only elected official, aside from the one commissioner, that is elected in the gubernatorial election year. All other county elected officials are elected in the presidential election year. If the commissioners do not appoint a clerk, the auditor is, by statute, the clerk of the board of county commissioners.
​The auditor is the chief fiscal officer of the county. As the county’s chief fiscal officer, the auditor has the responsibility to keep the official record of all county government receipts and disbursements. The auditor is a very important office from the perspective of county commissioners because it is the responsibility of the office to certify to the commissioners an estimate of available revenue that they may appropriate for county agencies and departments. When the county makes a purchase or enters into a contract, the auditor must certify that funds are available or in the process of collection from the appropriate account. This assures that no agency spends more than the commissioners appropriate for various purposes.
​In addition, the auditor issues warrants to pay county bills, and serves as the “paymaster” for all county employees. The auditor prepares a detailed annual report of all revenue and expenditures by fund under rules of the state auditor.
​Another major responsibility of the auditor relates to the administration of Ohio’s property tax law. As the appraiser of real property, the auditor must assure that every parcel of land and buildings and improvements are fairly and uniformly appraised and then assessed for tax purposes. The auditor directs a general reappraisal of real property every six years with an update being performed during the third year after the reappraisal.
CLERK OF COURTS
CONTACT
Cindy Pike
Darke County Clerk of Courts
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse 2nd Floor - Suite 10
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7335
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:30pm
Email: cpike@co.darke.oh.us
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Website:
Clerk of Courts – ORC Chapter 2303
The principal duty of the clerk of courts is to keep journals, records, books, and the papers pertaining to the court of common pleas and the court of appeals. The clerk’s responsibilities involve not only the filing, docketing, indexing, and preserving of all pleadings, but also with arriving at decisions regarding the procedures required by law and the issuance of writs including summons and subpoenas.
​The clerk of courts is also responsible for issuing titles for motor vehicles and watercraft. As a part of this responsibility the clerk collects the sales tax on automobiles and remits this money to the state. In this regard, the clerk also issues memorandum copies of titles, duplicates, notations of licenses on vehicles and watercraft and fees associated with these responsibilities.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONTACT
Commissioners Office
520 South Broadway
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7370
Hours: Mon-Thurs., 7:30am-4:30pm, Fri.-7:30am-1:30pm
Email: info@co.darke.oh.us
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Website:
Board of County Commissioners – ORC Chapters 305 and 307
All Ohio counties organized under the general statutory law have three county commissioners, two being elected at the time of the presidential election and one at the time of the gubernatorial election. The county commissioner elected at the gubernatorial election takes office on January 1st, and the two elected at the presidential election take office on January 2nd and 3rd. Candidates for these two commissioner positions must file for either the January 2 or 3 position (ORC 305.01).
County commissioners make up the general administrative body for county government. As indicated above, they can perform those duties which are specifically authorized by the General Assembly and no more. They are the county government taxing, budgeting, appropriating, and purchasing authority. They hold title to county property. Individual commissioners have no power to act independently. All formal and official actions must be taken by the board of county commissioners acting as a body by majority or unanimous vote.
​Commissioners also have a myriad of other responsibilities including hearing and ruling on annexations, approving drainage improvements through the petition ditch process, establishing water and sewer districts and making improvements, and providing for solid waste disposal.
CORONER
CONTACT
Dr. Tim Kathman
Darke County Coroner
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7322
24 Hour Emergency Contact or On-Call Investigator: 937-548-2020
Email: coroner@co.darke.oh.us
Coroner – ORC Chapter 313
The coroner is an important part of the criminal and civil justice system. The coroner has the responsibility to investigate the cause of any death resulting from criminal or violent means, accidents, or in other situations where someone in good health dies, or where a death is suspicious or unusual. In auto accidents resulting in a fatality, the coroner must determine the blood alcohol content of the person killed in the accident.
​The coroner works with law enforcement agencies and the county prosecutor in preparing cases for trial; may conduct inquests to ascertain the exact cause of death; performs autopsies, x-rays, toxicology tests; and often testifies as an expert witness on the cause and manner of death in court. Larger county coroners maintain morgues with professional pathologists to conduct autopsies, as well as laboratory facilities. These services are often utilized on a fee basis by smaller counties.
ENGINEER
CONTACT
Jim Surber
Darke County Engineer
504 S. Broadway - Suite 9
Courthouse
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7375
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:00pm
Email: engineerdarke@gmail.com
County Engineer – ORC Chapter 315
The county engineer is the county’s surveyor and civil engineer. The primary duty of the county engineer is to plan, design, construct, and maintain the county road system, including county bridges. The engineer also has responsibility for township bridges and for bridges within municipalities on through routes. Unlike most other county elected officials offices, the engineer is primarily funded with dedicated motor vehicle license and gasoline taxes.
The engineer is also responsible for maintaining the auditor’s tax maps including reviewing deeds, land transfers, lot splits, and annexation petitions for proper boundary descriptions.
Contact the Darke County Engineer’s Office at 937-547-7375 or email Jim Surber at engineerdarke@gmail.com
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PROSECUTOR
CONTACT
Kelly Ormsby
Darke County Prosecutor
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7380
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-4:30pm
Email: kormsby.dcpa@gmail.com
Prosecuting Attorney – ORC Chapter 309
The prosecuting attorney is the county’s criminal and civil attorney. While the prosecutor is best known to the public for prosecuting criminal actions in the name of the state, the office is also critical to county government because it is the legal advisor to the board of county commissioners and to “the board of elections, and all other county officers and boards…..” (ORC 309.09). The office also represents libraries, townships, and county school districts (ORC 3313.35) with the exception of city school districts. These civil responsibilities include the rendering of opinions, prosecuting and defending the county or agency, and the review and approval as to form of all contracts.
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The prosecutor of the most populous county comprising a joint vocational school district also represents the district. A county prosecutor also has the responsibility to prosecute all juvenile cases including child neglect, dependency, and abuse along with juvenile felony, misdemeanor, and even traffic violations.
RECORDER
CONTACT
Hillary Holzapfel
Darke County Recorder
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Business Phone: 937-547-7390
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:00pm
Email: darkerecorder@gmail.com
Recorder – ORC Chapter 317
The county recorder is the county’s official keeper of records. The function of the office is to provide protection to persons and property by recording a variety of legally essential documents. Many of the instruments recorded by the county recorder relate to real estate transactions.
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The recorder accepts for recording deeds, mortgages, mechanic liens, powers of attorney, recognizance bonds, Internal Revenue Service liens, corporate franchise liens, partnerships and other instruments.
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Darke County Recorder's Office Records: Click HERE to search Land Records beginning May 1996. Records will be able to be searched back to January 1980 by the end of 2023.
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Protect your most valuable investment with Property Fraud Alert. Subscribe to the FREE notification service provided by the Darke County Recorder’s Office.
Contact the Darke County Recorder’s Office at 937-547-7390 or email Hillary Holzapfel at darkerecorder@gmail.com
SHERIFF
CONTACT
Mark Whittaker
Darke County Sheriff
5185 County Home Road Greenville, Ohio, 45331
Phone: 937-548-3399
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Fax: 937-548-9235
Email: mwhittaker@darkecountysheriff.org
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Website:
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Sheriff – ORC Chapter 311
The sheriff is the county’s chief law enforcement officer, with duties to maintain the peace, operate the jail, attend the courts, investigate crimes and execute processes.
TREASURER
CONTACT
Scott Zumbrink
Darke County Treasurer
504 S. Broadway
Courthouse 1st Floor
Greenville, Ohio 45331
Phone: 937-547-7365
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Fax: 937-547-7342
Email: darkecountytreas@gmail.com
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Website:
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Treasurer – ORC Chapter 321
The treasurer is the county’s banker. This office has custody of the county’s money from the time it is collected, invests county funds, and redeems county warrants issued by the auditor.
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The treasurer bills and collects taxes on real and personal property, manufactured homes, estate taxes, and vendors and cigarette licenses.
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Contact the Darke County Treasurer’s Office at 937-547-7365 or email Scott Zumbrink at darkecountytreas@gmail.com
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ELECTED
OFFICIALS
AUDITOR - CAROL GINN
Carol Ginn, has a total of 30 years experience with state and local government. She first started her career with the State of Ohio, working for the Department of Tax Equalization now known as the Department of Taxation. She spent four years with the state, when her family relocated to Darke County. She then joined the staff of the Darke County Auditor’s office in 1986. She has worked for two previous auditors, Norma Fae Knick and Janice P. Anderson prior to becoming Auditor herself in March of 2007.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: carolaginn@gmail.com
PHONE: 937-547-7310
CLERK OF COURTS - CINDY PIKE
Cindy Pike, Darke County Clerk of Courts, is a graduate of Ansonia High School, American Institute for Paralegal Studies and Edison Community College . Accomplishments include establishing one-stop vehicle services, to combine vehicle titling, registration and exams at one location. She continues incorporating changes in technology to streamline office procedures for better efficiency. Cindy is active in various community and professional organizations. She enjoys reading, golfing, gardening and spending time with her husband, Bill, their three sons and growing number of grandchildren.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: cpike@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7336
COMMISSIONER - MATT AULTMAN
Matt Aultman was elected to the open Commissioner seat in the November, 2016 Primary Election.
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Matt resides with his family near Stelvideo,Ohio on a family farm. He is married to his wife Morgan since 2002 and has 2 children who are very active in sports, 4-H, and school programs. His wife, Morgan, is a High School Science teacher at Ansonia Local School District. Prior to being elected, Matt worked at Keller Grain & Feed, Inc as a grain buyer, salesman, and feed nutritionist. He still works there part time in the same position, as well as, Treaty Mill Inc consulting for the company and customers. Matt farms with his Father and Grandfather on their grain farm and raises livestock for 4-H and production.
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Matt has always loved to be active in the community on many boards. He is the Darke County Farm Bureau president, 4-H advisor to the Darke County Holstein club, Darke County 4-H Advisory board, Darke County OSU Extension Advisory board, Past Chairman of the Darke County Coalition for a Healthy Darke County, Past Chairman and Board member of the Darke County Chamber, Treasurer of the Darke County CIC, past board member of the Darke County Fairboard, and a member of the Adams Township Zoning board.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: maultman@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7370
COMMISSIONER - Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes, Darke County Commissioner, is a graduate of Greenville High School and a graduate of Wright State University with a MBA in Financial Administration. Larry brings 50 years of financial, management and general business experience to the commission board. Larry was elected a commissioner in 2020.
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In addition to the above experiences Larry has been involved with professional organizations, state organizations and local community service organizations. This has included but not limited to past service on the board of trustees for Wayne Industries, Greenville City School Board, Darke County Community Improvement Corporation, Darke County Historical Society (Garst Museum) and as a trustee of the St. Mary’s Parochial School.
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Larry and his wife of 45 years, Carol (Gehret), have raised their 4 children in Darke county. They have been blessed with 7 grandchildren. They are members of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church.
CONTACT:
EMAIL: lholmes@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7370
CORONER - DR. TIM KATHMAN
Dr. Timothy Kathman is an internist in Greenville, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Wayne Hospital. He received his medical degree from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: coroner@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7322
ENGINEER - JIM SURBER
Jim Surber became the Darke County Engineer on April 4, 1977, and prior to that date was a consultant engineer in Chillicothe. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and is both a licensed professional engineer and surveyor in the states of Ohio and Indiana. Since becoming County Engineer, he has designed and overseen many improvements to the roads, bridges, and maintenance procedures and equipment in Darke County. Among these are the design and construction of the current Highway Department facility in 1978, and the design and construction supervision of 397 new bridges, built over the past thirty seven years, which is 75% of all County and Township Road bridges. He and his wife Carla are the parents of three adult children and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: engineerdarke@gmail.com
PHONE: 937-547-7375
JUDGE - JASON ASLINGER
Jason R. Aslinger began his service as judge of Darke County Probate and Juvenile Courts on April 4, 2011, upon appointment by Governor John Kasich. Judge Aslinger was elected to a new term on November 6, 2012. Judge Aslinger grew up in Darke County and graduated from Greenville High School. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University, and then later graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law. Prior to his appointment, Judge Aslinger spent his entire legal career in private practice.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: lacey@darkeprobatejuvenile.org
PHONE: 937-547-7350
JUDGE - TRAVIS L. FLIEHMAN
Judge Travis L. Fliehman grew up on a farm in Clinton County. He attended The Ohio State University where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics (1993). A few years later, he attended law school at the University of Dayton School of Law and received his Juris Doctorate (1999). He and his wife Kelly, a graduate of Versailles High School, moved back to Darke County in 2009, where he maintained a private law practice serving families, farms, and businesses in the area. The two have one daughter and reside in Greenville. Judge Fliehman was elected to serve on the Common Pleas Court beginning January 1, 2023.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: commonpleas@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7325
JUDGE - JULIE MONNIN
Judge Julie Monnin was born and raised on a farm in Darke County and began her schooling at Gettysburg Elementary and graduated from Greenville High School as Julie Shuttleworth, daughter of Jim and Evelyn Shuttleworth. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) from Wright State University and she earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Dayton School of Law. Judge Monnin is the first woman judge ever elected in Darke County and she currently presides in the Darke County Municipal. She is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Judge Monnin is very active in our community and enjoys sharing her education, knowledge and time in all of her volunteer service.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: jwalker@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7340
PROSECUTOR - R. KELLY ORMSBY, III
R. Kelly Ormsby, III came to Darke County in 1996 and has served as the county prosecutor since 2009. He is a graduate from the University of Michigan and the Indiana University of Law. Since practicing law in Ohio, he has served continuously in a prosecutor’s office since 1981. Kelly has two sons, Alexander and Matthew, who attend Greenville schools and a stepson, Cameron, who is a 2014 graduate of Greenville and is now enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: kormsby.dcpa@gmail.com
PHONE: 937-547-7380
RECORDER - HILLARY HOLZAPFEL
Hillary Holzapfel is a lifelong resident of Darke County.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: darkerecorder@gmail.com
PHONE: 937-547-7390
TREASURER - SCOTT ZUMBRINK
Scott Zumbrink has proudly served as Darke County Treasurer since October 1993. Your treasurer chairs the Darke County Investment Advisory Committee, serves as a representative to the Department of Taxation CAUV Advisory Committee and is vice-president of the Darke County Farmers Union. He is a graduate of Wright State University with a dual major in accountancy and finance. He has attended continuing education and received certifications from Kent State University and Cleveland State University, and has also maintained his required continuing education from the Ohio State Treasurer’s Office as well as the Ohio State Auditor’s Office. Scott is very proud to be a member of the Greenville Kiwanis Club, Darke Historical Society, Darke County Farmers Union, Darke County Farm Bureau and the Ohio County Treasurer’s Association. He is also humbled by being honored as 2012 Kiwanian of the year and 2012 Friend of 4-H, two plaques which he proudly displays in the Treasurer’s Office.
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CONTACT:
EMAIL: darkecountytreas@co.darke.oh.us
PHONE: 937-547-7365
STATE & FEDERAL
OFFICIALS
OHIO GOVENOR
Mike Dewine & Lt. Governor Jon Husted
Email: https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/contact
OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE
Frank LaRose
Phone: 1-614-466-2655
Email: https://www.sos.state.oh.us/secretary-office/contact-our-office/contact-us-agency/
AUDITOR FOR THE STATE OF OHIO
Keith Faber
Phone: 1-614-466-4514
Email: https://www.ohioauditor.gov/contact/Inquiry.aspx?
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West Regional Office
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Phone: 937-285-6677
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Email: westregion@ohioauditor.gov
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TREASURER FOR THE STATE OF OHIO
Robert Sprague
Phone: 1-614-466-2160
OHIO'S ATTORNEY GENERAL
Phone: 1-800-282-0515
Email: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/About-AG/Contact
80th OHIO HOUSE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
Jena Powell
Phone: 1-614-466-8114
Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/jena-powell/contact
84th OHIO DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
Susan Manchester
Phone: 1-614-466-6344
Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/susan-manchester/contact-
12th DISTRICT OHIO SENATOR
Matt Huffman
Phone: 1-614-466-7584
Email: http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/huffman-m/contact
8th DISTRICT OHIO SENATOR
Steve Huffman
Phone: 1-614-466-6247
Email: http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/huffman-s/contact
U.S. 8th CONGREGATIONAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
Warren Davidson
DC office: 1-202-225-6205
Troy Ohio office: 1-937-339-1524
Email: https://davidson.house.gov/contact
US OHIO SENATOR
Sherrod Brown
DC office: 1-202-224-2315
Email: https://www.brown.senate.gov/contact/email
US OHIO SENATOR
J.D. Vance, U.S. Senator
DC office: 1-202-224-3353
Email: https://www.vance.senate.gov