Moulder retires as fire chief [Glasgow Daily Times, Ky.]

Jan. 06--CAVE CITY -- After 12 years, Kenneth Moulder is retiring from his post as Cave City's fire chief.

Moulder's retirement became effective Dec. 17, 2011. He made the decision to retire after learning Mayor Bobby Reynolds had plans to appoint someone else as fire chief.

"I just kind of let it be and I felt like it was the right time to go," Moulder said. "It was bad that the mayor didn't come to me and ask me about everything. If he had come to me and sat down with me, ... I wouldn't have had such a problem with it. They way he did it, I felt like it was time to go."

Kevin Jandt, who has been with the Cave City Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years, has been appointed to take Moulder's place as chief. Jandt has also been with the Glasgow Fire Department for 11 years and works there as a sergeant.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of it," said Jandt, adding he plans to work with the firefighters in updating their training and is hoping to gain some new recruits by pushing the Junior Firefighter Program. "I think it's going to work out pretty good. I've always wanted it. We are going to give it a shot and I think everything is going to go smooth transitioning over. I think it's going to be a good thing."

Reynolds denied that he had plans to appoint a new fire chief and said he was happy with Moulder's performance as fire chief.

"There were all kinds of tales out," Reynolds said. "When Kenneth resigned, I appointed the chief."

It was up to the firefighters to choose who they wanted to be their leader, he said.

"I let the firemen pick him. I told him they could vote for who they wanted because I don't make the runs and I don't know who they can work with and who they can't."

Jandt has a lot of experience and the necessary training required for the position, Reynolds said.

Reynolds was not sure if the firefighters had any personnel issues with Moulder.

"I didn't go into any details with them," he said. "I just told them whoever they picked as chief, I would appoint him as chief."

Moulder began volunteering for the Cave City Volunteer Fire Department 26 years ago because he said he wanted to help people. He became fire chief under former Mayor Bob Hunt.

"Kenneth educated himself to where he could have the knowledge to take care of the people he served and also the firefighters who served with him," Hunt said. "Kenneth, in my opinion, was an excellent chief."

At one time the firefighters got to choose who they wanted as fire chief, but Hunt changed that.

"We took it out of the buddy system where the fire department votes on the fire chief," Hunt said. "We took it out of that system and put it in that the mayor chooses the chief. That's what we did. It worked that way for many years."

Hunt continued that "you want the best qualified" people and said he felt Moulder was well-qualified to be fire chief.

During Moulder's time as chief, he not only helped lower Cave City's fire rating, making homeowners' insurance premiums less expensive. He also made sure the firefighters had the proper education and training they needed to do their jobs, Hunt said.

"Kenneth always tried to keep the standards high for the department," he said. "He always had his community and his men in front, thinking about them all the time."

Jandt said one of his goals as chief is to further lower Cave City's fire rating.

Hunt added Moulder always kept the fire department's paperwork up to date and saw that it was done the way it was supposed to be done.

"To me he was a first class chief in that respect as far as knowing his duties and obligations," Hunt said. "He did a good job for the people."

___

(c)2012 the Glasgow Daily Times (Glasgow, Ky.)

Visit the Glasgow Daily Times (Glasgow, Ky.) at www.glasgowdailytimes.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services