With more than just Boerne booming in population, the need for a deputy and EMS substation in Bergheim is becoming apparent, and discussions that began last year were successful as an agreement formally was reached to build a law enforcement and EMS substation at the Voss Middle School campus.
A 50-year ground lease with the Boerne Independent School District was approved Monday morning by Kendall County commissioners at a cost to the county of $1 per year.
“Virtually all land in Kendall County is extremely valuable,” County Judge Darrell Lux said of the pact, thanking the school district for the agreement. “Kendall County does not own any property out in that area, and it is an extremely fast-growing area. So, this was a growing storm in a growing way.”
The agreement involved many agencies across the county, with efforts being made between EMS Director Brian Webb, Sheriff Al Auxier, Emergency Management Coordinator Jeff Fincke and BISD staff and officials.
During the commissioners’ meeting Monday, it was noted the substation specifically will be for EMS and law enforcement rather than fire services as there is already a strong fire service in the area with the Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department.
The growth in the area repeatedly has been echoed over the past year, with Precinct 2 Commissioner Richard Elkins noting the rolling changes around what once used to be his family’s rolling hills property and Bergheim VFD Chief Adam Hawkins moving to establish an emergency service district in the area to help serve the growing and changing population.
During the ESD discussions in Bergheim over the past year-and-a-half, Hawkins repeatedly noted the increased call volumes in the area that have become more difficult to service with volunteers.
“If you’d asked me 10 years ago if I ever thought we’d be in the position we are now at the Bergheim Fire Department, I’d say, ‘No way,’” Hawkins, who has been the chief for six years and a volunteer firefighter for 20 years, said in previous discussions. “In fact, when I heard Bergheim Fire Department was going to be a fire department, I said, ‘Why?’ … As of today, the 11th of April for 2022 we’ve already responded to 153 runs. We probably have another 20 or 25 runs we should’ve responded to, in my opinion, that we were not dispatched for.”
To further show the growth hitting this once more rural area of Kendall County, Voss Middle School saw an enrollment growth of 22 students the first day of this school year, which was the highest enrollment jump over last year of all three middle schools in BISD. The 766 students enrolled at Voss falls just short of the roughly 790 students enrolled at Boerne Middle School North.
“We are excited about working with Kendall County regarding the law enforcement and EMS substation adjacent to Voss Middle School,” BISD Director of Communications Bryan Benway told The Star. “This project has been discussed for many years and we are pleased that it is coming to fruition. Leasing the land to the county for only $1 per year will not only benefit our students and staff at Voss, but it will positively impact the local community as well. Being able to have law enforcement and EMS just a stone’s throw from Voss will add an extra layer of safety and security for our students and staff.
“We greatly appreciate the partnership that we have with Judge Lux, Commissioner Chapman and the commissioners court.”
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