By Angel Perkins Staff Writer
BOURBON — An old resolution, one in regard to tree removal and that could not be found as an ordinance in the town’s files, but which town officials agreed had been in effect for a large number of years, was renewed.
“I looked back through 1998 and I couldn’t find an ordinance,” said Bourbon Clerk-treasurer Kim Berger. Town attorney Mark Wagner advised that making the rule (that those residents or property owners that have a tree cut down by professional means, remove the debris without the town’s assistance) an ordinance makes it harder should they wish the rule to be changed at a later date.

“A resolution makes it possible for exceptions to be made,” he said.
Town officials agreed that they would stick to the rule of thumb that had been practiced in the past and added that they would leave any tree debris removal discretionary situations to the determination of the supervisor of the street department.
The new version of the resolution, which was the same as the old version, was voted upon with all council members in agreement.
The future of the town’s water department equipment was another issue addressed. Bourbon Utility Department Superintendent Mike Mc-Farland explained that repairs to the water department’s main lift pump shaft would run nearly $8,000, not including overtime to pull, repair and replace.
Town Council President Larry Wattenbarger asked if this was the same pump referred to in the water department’s “number two,” overall capital improvement plan and they were affirmed.
The more extensive project was earlier calculated to run roughly $50,000 by Mc-Farland and did include that particular shaft that is presently working at a very limited capacity.
It was noted that Strang and Associates had the complete plan “in the works” for more than a month but had yet to reply with results offering what all must be done and how much that might cost. The company is also being paid $5,000 (by the town) for the proposed, unfinished plan.
Council member Gary Collins asked if an alternate pump could be used for the time being and the defective one put on hold temporarily. “I don’t want to be paying $8,000 for a Band-Aid,” he said.
“Once we get the plan and get (government) approvals, realistically we are months away (from solving the problem),” explained McFarland. He agreed to “make do” and try to wait out Strang for the information, hoping the quick fix will work until they could get things moving for the more extensive repairs.
The recently-purchased vactor truck bought by the town has been kept busy by town utility employees. McFarland reported to the council that since its delivery, the machine has “jet-rodded” a sewer line and cleaned out a collapsed storm sewer and an abandoned fire cistern.
Issues raised by an unnamed organization that had been renting the Bourbon Community Park building were discussed, concluding in the end with the decision that their rental deposit be withheld. Members had expected to rent the facility on many future occasions but the condition with which they had left the building the last time it was used by them suggested that they might not be responsible to properly see to it that it is left in the same order of appearance as it was before they got there.
The Bourbon Town Council members agreed unanimously to practice the “three strikes and your out” rule and considered the organization to have received their first “strike.” They further left future issues to the discretion of clerk-treasurer Berger to decide.
Wattenbarger reintroduced an idea to “do things a little differently” in regard to town employees’ job requirements and suggested the positions of town code enforcement and town groundskeeping be combined into one position. He said he had hoped to post the job opening and begin accepting applications. “We can start with those two (positions) and see about adding other responsibilities later on,” he proposed. “My original intention was, if we had gotten to this point, that we would leave it to the discretion of the council if we wanted to expand on the position (job requirements of).” Wattenbarger said he had already spoken to the two town employees that presently held the positions that would be combined to let them know of the possibility before bringing it to the council again for decision.
Town Attorney Mark Wagner said it was within the council’s right to agree to agree but that he had never heard of any council that had chosen to do so.
“I know the majority rules but out of the integrity of the members I would like us to come to the agreement,” Collins said. “From my point I can see things in the works here and I think it’s a railroad job. I’d like us to come together and make the decision.”