Darke County Commissioners…
Lucas Issue still hot; Anonymous chat boxes criticized

Bob Rhoades uses 'attack' to make his point

Following an uneventful Monday meeting and Wednesday regular session, Darke County Citizens Karyl Parks, and Bob and Peggy Rhoades addressed the Commissioners during the Wednesday Public Attendees Comments. 

The questions/comments were regarding the Melody Lucas statement that was first published on County News Online, then published in other local media. 

Parks said she had several concerns but decided she “would spare everybody a lot of agenda” that she had. She added, in general, that there seemed to be notable conflict of information, noting that they would say “one thing one week and say something else another week.” 

She said there has been a “breach of public faith” from the Commissioners. 

Parks said people are human and make mistakes but that it is important that people learn from them. She wanted everyone to learn from them instead of “spending this effort and money to covering them up.” 

If you have the power to do what’s right, then you have an absolute obligation to do what’s right, she added. 

Commissioner Mike Rhoades said “thank you.” 

Alex Mikos of Tiger Radio noted the Lucas posting on the Darke Journal, asking if any of the Commissioners had read it. Rhoades said no. Commissioner Mike Stegall said he read it on County News Online and that it didn’t mean a lot to him, adding that it was her opinion. Commissioner Diane Delaplane said she read it, adding “We dealt with it and we’re moving on.” 

Bob Rhoades said that someone verbally attacked him on one of the “chat boxes” opening up an old wound. He said other people have told him the intent was to embarrass him and his family because he had been vocal about this issue. 

“All this person did was lead some credence to everything that has been said about this office the last two weeks,” Rhoades said. “My wife pled guilty to ‘theft in office’ ... under the not-so-watchful eye of her bosses, the previous Board of County Commissioners.” 

He went on to note that she was charged with one felony count and sentenced to three months of community sanctions, lost her pension and paid back every cent that was owed to this county. 

“With the support from her family and friends she has moved on from the incident.” 

The State Auditor’s Office was involved and charged the Board to come up with better checks and balances regarding county employees, he said. 

“The occasion and surroundings of Ms. Mong’s departure make it obvious this wasn’t done.” He added that one person was prosecuted on one offense and similar offenses go un-prosecuted even though it was alleged that there were five felonies. 

“At some point perhaps telling the truth, no matter who it hurts, might work.  It did for my wife.  Disclosure of the facts surrounding the dismissal of June Mong, and the subsequent hiring of an un-qualified person as her replacement, need to be forth coming as soon as possible,” Rhoades said. “Thank you.” 

Commissioner Rhoades then asked Mrs. (Peggy) Rhoades if she had anything to say. 

“I just want to make this perfectly clear because it did come up on Darke Journal last night and I want everyone to know that I did, at no time did I think that it was wrong to prosecute me, I deserved to be prosecuted.  I want everyone to know that I did pay back the money and I did do my punishment and I get very upset when I talk about this.  I am now paying for it the second time because it is being brought up ... I just wish you would do something about June Mong because she did do a felony, and maybe more than just one. 

Rhoades then thanked everyone and the meeting was adjourned.

Bob Rhoades later sent the prepared information he used in the meeting. It reads as follows:

"Just to set the record straight so that no one else thinks I’m not being straight forward, someone last night calling themselves ST3 did a blitz attack on the Darke Journal Chat Box concerning an incident that involved my wife in 1997.  ST3 then immediately went and hid as so many brave souls on there do. What ST3 actually did was two things.  First proved that there is at the very least a double standard if not triple or quadruple standard.  Second, it gave my wife an opportunity to get on the Chat and confirm everything that ST 23 said, except for one thing!  My wife was prosecuted, paid back every red cent, lost her state pension, spent three months on house arrest.  She apologized to everyone, including our friends.  A state audit was done and she also took part in the audit showing the auditors where the money was taken from and how easy it was, so easy in fact that her office survived for a couple of years through state audits.  The county auditor’s office had no clue. 

"At the time, the commissioner’s office was told that any people who were direct reports to their office as she was should have a set of checks and balances in place so that this doesn’t happen again.  I guess we know how that turned out.

"I didn’t want to bring it up again.  Since ST3 did, I think it’s a good thing.  Melody (Lucas) has become the poster child for what happens to whistle blowers even though everything was handled well, and my wife has become the poster child for owning up to your mistakes, taking the punishment, and moving on.  Thanks for pointing that out ST3."

Minutes to this meeting will be posted on Monday.