Darren Doyle, story: Edmonson County Fiscal Court met today at 9AM in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse where several discussions took place, including possible litigation against the seller of the future site for a county animal shelter and a special election for District 3 magistrate this November. In Sheriff Shane Doyle's update to the fiscal court, he described a series of weekend events at Blue Holler ATV Park as not only problematic for the area, but also for law enforcement and medical personnel. He said his office has received numerous complaints about large gatherings at the park during the pandemic, as well as noise and similar complaints, but he said health regulations as a result of the pandemic are left up to the local health department and the Kentucky State Police, which he said was was the law enforcement agency dedicated to enforcing the Governor's executive orders, according to a conversation he said he had with the Attorney General's Office. "We don't have the manpower to police the entire area, plus, we can only enter there on official business if we're responding to a complaint," said Sheriff Doyle. "This weekend, there were multiple medical emergencies at the park that included four different medical helicopter runs, plus additional ambulance runs. It was estimated that as many as 18,000 people attended the park this weekend. We want businesses to do well in our county but it has to be kept under control with regards to public safety. We wrote several citations for riding ATVs on the roadways, but if we'd have started arresting people for public intoxication, we'd have needed five different buses to haul them all away." Jailer Hank Vincent, who is also a paramedic with Edmonson County Ambulance Service, said five buses wouldn't have held them all. "It's overwhelming," said Vincent. "And it's going to get worse out there. I wouldn't be surprised if the next thing you hear out there is a killing." Doyle said one of his deputies was tied up for 10 hours at the hospital with an individual so drunk he suffered a major medical issue. The individual allegedly refused to cooperate with medical personnel at the site after the health concern and law enforcement had to intervene. The park is located in the Ollie community in District 5, which is magistrate Johnny Brooks' area. "When you put that many people in one place like that, there's going to be problems," Brooks said. Phone calls to Blue Holler ATV Park were not immediately returned. In other reports given from county offices, County Road Supervisor Greg Carroll said county road crews were busy with tile installation and drainage work as well as mowing throughout the county. Jailer Hank Vincent reported 14 county inmates currently housed at the Hart County Jail with one on home incarceration. The county also voted to:
5 Comments
Aimee Newton
8/10/2020 04:12:25 pm
We appreciate the law enforcements efforts this weekend as of to the concern of Blue Holler but its like this every weekend, not as many people, but still, you have my mother, who is the mail carrier for Ollie Road, not being able to get to the mailboxes because the traffic is so backed up on the main road, to the idiots that drive the atvs on the road every weekend because they think they can get away with it. I have reported this at least once and I know you all do not have the means for enough patrolmen out on duty to cover this part of the county during the weekends, but it’s not fair for the rest of the state to be under a lockdown still(to where we are not even allowed to have family functions), and the atv park being able to hold concerts and such. I know this brings in a lot of revenue for the county, but you also have citizens who want to have peace and not have to be afraid to get on the road and hit one of these toys. If people had good sense and would just stay on the trails like they are supposed to, it would be different, but people can’t do that. In my opinion, since everything else is not allowed to open, why should this place be any different?
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Rhoda Webb Filback
8/11/2020 03:07:17 pm
I wonder how those 5 bus loads of intoxicated people got home from Blue Holler? Maybe they walked or spent the night. I don't believe it's a stretch to say that they drove home. They toted their ATVs along curvy roads in the Ollie community and endangered lives along the way.
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Adam Wooley
8/14/2020 03:36:06 pm
Drunk driving is not a good thing in any situation that being said this is NOT all who visit this park also my experience with ATVs being on the road have been non existent in the several times I have been to the park. I understand that people who live on this road are affected by the traffic but would it be fair to take your lively hood away because someone else doesn’t approve? Of course not. Also it’s clear that those who are against the park are not involved in the sport of riding witch is there choice but you wouldn’t not be okay with me telling you that you can’t go to the lake or camping or hiking or horse riding bicycle riding any of those activities affect others in one way or another just because it’s not your recreation of choice doesn’t make it wrong. The park does a great job at keeping things as safe as possible in my opinion.
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Christopher Cox
8/14/2020 07:43:26 pm
I was actually at the park last weekend and dont drink and havent in quite some time. There where people and families of all ages there having a great time. The only atv i saw outside of the park was talking to a police officer. The people there staff and spectators included where the most respectful and courteous that i have seen in a while. Everyone came to have a good time and surpassed that. Thank you police, county officials, and everyone involved in KEEPING AMERICA GREAT!! and allowing us to participate in these fine festivities. God bless the USA!!
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Mike Berghman
8/17/2020 05:57:40 am
If Florida-Georgia Line and Nickleback had an inbred child, it would be Blue Holler Park. They can say they want to be part of the community all they want but they're interested in selling tickets to the area's biggest party. On the other hand, if the county had put some zoning measures in place before they got there then you wouldn't be dealing with Get R Done Fest every weekend.
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