Water Bill Touches Off Dispute Between City, Fire District

A water bill sent from the city of Bourbon to the Bourbon Fire Protection District touched off a dispute between two sides that appear to have a strained relationship.

Fire board director Jason Delashmit appeared before the city council on Thursday holding a $125 bill the district received for water usage in March.

Delashmit questioned why the board was receiving a bill. He said that at no point in the 46-year history of the district had they received a water bill.

The bill was only for services at the building and not for filling up trucks.

The decision came from Mayor Dave Lafferty, who accused firefighters of abusing the water by washing their personal vehicles. He also said the fire district has not held up its end of the bargain on the road next to the building. 

Before Thursday, other board members were unware the district had received a bill. Delashmit questioned how the city could bill the district without voting on it, which was never answered.

Read more on this story in the May 4 issue of the Independent News.