Commissioners Vote To Keep the Burn Ban

EMT Scholarships

Fayette County Commissioners Court voted to extend the burn ban at their meeting last Thursday, Oct. 12. The burn ban had been in effect since July 13.

“We had the burn ban in effect, it was for 90 days, and it expired in the last day or so,” County Judge Dan Mueller said at the meeting.

“We had a rain the came through and some spots have greened up,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann. “But here’s a prime example - right after the rain we had a guy who was mowing his driveway with a lawnmower and caught it on fire. It burned about three or four acres. Even though we had a rain, it’s still dry and there’s a bunch of dead grass.”

Brossmann said he and Schulenburg Fire Chief Darren Guentert felt that the County should wait for more rain before lifting the burn ban.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff said he spoke with fire officials in his area who also advised to wait for more rain before lifting the ban.

“Somebody was burning cardboard the other day and started a fire,” Berckenhoff said.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom said pastures without cattle pose a high risk for wildfires.

“People who have cows, they don’t have a lot to burn,” McBroom said. “But if they don’t have cows, there’s a lot of fuel out there.”

McBroom said the cold front that blew in over the weekend posed additional danger of spreading fire.

“We also have to think that not all areas got rain,” Mueller said. “Some areas of the County didn’t get any rain.”

Chief Deputy Randy Noviskie of the Sheriff’s Office, who also serves as Fayetteville Fire Chief, said Colorado County lifted their burn ban and had seven fires in the last week.

“We’re totally against lifting it until we get some significant rain,” Noviskie said.

Commissioners voted unanimously to extend the burn ban for another 90 days or until they decide to lift it.

EMT Scholarships

Two EMTs who work for Fayette County EMS will go to paramedic school thanks to the generosity of La Grange Rotary Club and Colorado Valley Telephone Cooperative (CVTC).

“Fayette County has always had a policy in place so that we’ll partially reimburse students who go to paramedic school,” said Fayette County EMS Director Josh Vandever at last Thursday’s Commissioners a court meeting. “In return, they give us three years of service.”

Vandever said recent State legislation, Senate Bill 8, provides new funding to rural EMS departments for employee training. Two of his department’s EMTs, Shelanie Luther and Rebecca Spooner, enrolled in paramedic school under the old reimbursement agreement just a week before the new state funding became available.

“We’re extremely lucky to have gotten some community support,” Vandever said.

The Rotary Club of La Grange offered to provide up to $2,000 per student, Vandever said, and CVTC agreed to match the County’s contribution of up to $5,000 per student.

“On behalf of our employees, members and board of directors, it’s a great opportunity for the Co-op that we can support the County and our community with these scholarship funds,” said CVTC General Manager Kelly Allison.