The Fiscal Court recognized former Judge Executive Tony Wilder for helping start the first paid Emergency Medical Service in Boyle County 30 years ago at their July 23 meeting.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a paid service in Boyle County this year. Back in 1993, Wilder campaigned for judge executive on the platform of funding an EMS service. Judge Executive Trille Bottom explained that the idea was new and was met with resistance.

“This topic was met with great resistance due to financial constraints, possible tax increases and other things that people get upset about,” Bottom said. “Nevertheless he persevered and won the election and he fought for giving Boyle County citizens quality service with the paid staff to respond to emergencies. That one innovative idea has helped to save hundreds if not thousands of Boyle County residents in the last 30 years.”

Before the paid service, all EMTs in the county were volunteers who had other jobs, and could only do limited things.

“I believe we needed to enhance our care level because we were losing people; not because we didn’t care and these people didn’t have the energy and the passion, we just didn’t have the way to deliver the care,” Wilder said. “That’s the reason I was motivated to do this, and sure enough there were issues. Our folks in the volunteer service, some of them may have taken offense to it as if they weren’t doing properly or providing enough care; that was a tough one for me.”

After much effort to get it started, the paid program provided advanced life support certified service, which Wilder said was unheard of at time. It includes having paramedics in the field that can do everything the emergency room can do.

Bottom presented Wilder with a large plaque. The court also recognized members of the first 1994 EMS crew: Paul Roution, Malcolm Miller, Tony Hall, Chane Christopher, Marcia Frontz, Patsy  Shepperson, Allen Bottoms, Jim Rinaldi, Ronnie Hellard, Joseph Barboa, Marshall Singleton, JC Pendleton, Mike Peyton, Jeff Stith, Lee Burton, Johnny Cooley, Jeff Reardon, Randy Luckett, Brad Ellis, and Gail Bowling. Some were in attendance and some could not make it.

The court voted to contract with American Legal Publishing to make Boyle County ordinances available online. American Legal Publishing will put them on the fiscal court website and also go through each ordinance to make sure they are up to date with any changes to state law. The court passed the motion to approve the agreement not to exceed $18,000.

The court passed a motion to send a letter to Parks Commissioner Russ Meyer regarding the property behind the historic Crawford House in Perryville.

Magistrate Tom Ellis explained that the property is a natural area leading to the Chaplin River, and used to have a Boy Scout camp. The land is behind the Crawford House, which was recently bought by a private individual and is being restored.

The land was owned several years ago by the Boyle County Fiscal Court, and a separate parcel with the Boy Scout Camp was privately owned. Now the Kentucky Finance Cabinet holds the property, and it has fallen into disrepair.

Over several decades, the concrete block building on the property has fallen into major disrepair. The land surrounding it is completely overgrown with wild honeysuckle and other invasive plants and trees.

The land is historic because it was where Civil War Confederate soldiers camped during the Battle of Perryville. The letter requested that the state deaccession the acreage.

The county hopes to regain ownership of the land and turn it into a park. Ellis said they want to clear out the overgrowth, look into restoring the old concrete building, and make it into a community space. The public would be able to rent out the park, like at Constitution Square. The park would be managed under Public Works.

EMS Director Mike Rogers presented a Challenge Coin to EMS employees for saving a life. He recognized Amanda Taylor, Devon Meaux, Kassi Centers, Billy Holder, and Josh Ryder for their heroism.

EMS Challenge Coins are given to crew members who save the life of a patient who has no pulse, but survives due to life-saving measures by the crew.

In other business, the court:

• Passed a motion for the county to purchase the Fred Cain Property at 225 North Stewarts Lane for $2.6 million.
• Passed a resolution to end the solar moratorium. The court had recently passed amendments to the solar ordinance regarding regulations on solar and wind merchant electric generating facilities.
• Presented a Years of Service certificate to Chris Stratton for 15 years of service.
• Appointed Teresa Nolet to the Ethics Commission Board. Her term will end on December 31, 2027.
• Appointed Brian Staed and Angela Frisby to the Fire Board.  Brian Staed’s term will end June 30, 2026. Angela Frisby’s term will end June 30, 2027.
• Heard an update from Planning and Zoning Director Mikaela Gerry. She said their biggest site plan is for a hotel next to Super 8. There was also a zone change on HWY 127 and Knob Lick Road.

The court passed a motion to have Gerry write up regulations for medical cannabis for Boyle County.

Magistrates also discussed why the zoning ordinance was changed from five-acre lots to one-acre lots when subdividing property in the county. Magistrate Jason Cullen said he believes one-acre lots are too small to subdivide. Magistrate Tom Ellis expressed concern that the high cost of land would prevent families from building homes.

Gerry said going back to five-acre lots would require an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. By majority vote, the court passed a motion to explore going back to five-acre lots instead of one-acre. Magistrates Tom Ellis and Paula Bodner voted against it.