Request By:
Honorable Damon R. Talley
Attorney at Law
Professional Arts Building
207 E. Main Street
Horse Cave, Kentucky 42749
Opinion
Opinion By: Robert F. Stephens, Attorney General; By: Walter C. Herdman, Assistant Deputy Attorney General
As the Attorney for the Green River Valley Water District, organized pursuant to Chapter 74 KRS, you raise the following question:
"The Board of Commissioners of the Green River Valley Water District does hereby request an opinion from your office concerning whether or not the Water District may spend public money to purchase liability insurance for the individual Commissioners of the Water District."
The right of any political subdivision of the state, such as a water district organized under Ch. 74 KRS, to purchase insurance of any kind for its officers or employes is dependent upon some statutory authority and we find none under the terms of Ch. 74 KRS or any other statute applicable to water districts. As a consequence, we are of the opinion that the funds of the water district cannot be utilized for the purpose of purchasing liability insurance for the individual commissioners of the district. These commissioners will have to purchase their own insurance if they wish to be covered.