City Turns Out The Lights On Basketball Court

Following repeated acts of vandalism, the city of Bourbon had the lights shut off at its basketball court.

Mayor Dave Lafferty told the council Tuesday that he had them shut off in response to a query from Ward 2 Alderwoman Sonya Sewald.

Sewald questioned why the lights weren’t on at dusk.

Lafferty said kids had been climbing the pole and turning them on after they were automatically turned off at night.

He said he would drive past the park at 5 a.m. and see the lights on, running up the city’s electric bill.

“I told (police officer) Nick (Holtz) to tell some kids at the park to stop,” Lafferty said. “It never stopped.”

Sewald, who said she wants to see the lights on until park curfew at 9 p.m., questioned whether everyone should pay for what a few people are doing.

“If we take away legitimate things, they’ll find illegitimate things to do,” she said.

Public works employee Mark McEuen said the electric box needs to be moved higher and enclosed with a cage. The lights also have to be re-wired since the paneling and breakers were destroyed.

Lafferty suggested setting up surveillance cameras to deter further damage.