Resident Criticizes Board For Parking Change

Bourbon resident Jamie Goodfellow on Tuesday blasted the Bourbon Board of Aldermen for its vote in February to restrict parking on unimproved surfaces. 

Goodfellow said she was “disgusted” with the way it was “pushed through” and that the ordinance was a waste of law enforcement’s time.

“I do not feel like I should have to address the board where I park in my driveway or my yard,” she said. “It’s my grass that I pay a lot of taxes on. I don’t know how this managed to slip through.”

The board first discussed changing the ordinance in January and it was passed unanimously in February. 

In March, members talked about some of the feedback. Mayor Danny Skaggs and Ward 1 Alderman Dave Lafferty reported that more people supported the change than opposed it.

Ward 2 Alderman Mary Heywood suggested the board would take a second look at the ordinance, but wanted to see a petition with signatures from unhappy residents.  

The ordinance was first signed in December 2014 upon a recommendation from former police chief Rick Wise. Until February, Skaggs said it was unenforceable. Residents were permitted 12 hours to park on an unimproved surface. 

Goodfellow said it was changed “to enforce the law the way you guys wanted it enforced.” She said it allows police to harass residents.

“I am a taxpayer and that is my property,” she said. “We bring money into this town. We are not low life income people who don’t have steady income or bring money into this town. If I want to park my four-wheeler or trailer in my yard…that’s my yard. I’m not a renter. I’m not using someone else’s property. It’s property I pay taxes on. I do a lot for our community. I’m not okay with being dictated how I park.”

Goodfellow said drugs are being run in the street and that children aren’t safe. 

“We do have (drugs),” said Mayor Danny Skaggs, adding that police will not spend “100 percent” of their time enforcing the parking ordinance. “There are ordinances in the city they have to enforce. They can’t say, ‘well, we won’t do that because we’re going to look for drugs and let everything else go.’ The chief is doing his job. He’s enforcing an ordinance of the city of Bourbon.”

Goodfellow told Skaggs the board is passing ordinances “that are a waste of time.” She also criticized the board for not doing more to inform the public, though City Attorney Robert Davis said they followed the law by posting it at city hall. There was nobody present to oppose the ordinance at the February meeting.

“We all have other things going on in our lives,” Goodfellow. said. “We are all worried about our kids. We don’t have time to do this. Those outrank coming to meetings.”

Goodfellow claimed that nobody knew about the meeting. 

“It was a technicality and you guys know it,” she said.