The Board of Commissioners at DeKalb Utility District (DUD) held their regular monthly meeting Thursday, and not only did Board Chairman Roger Turney speak out, giving those in attendance a summary of the situation between the utility and the City of Smithville from DUD’s point of view, the board authorized its legal counsel to take the city to court in an attempt to lower the $5 per 1,000 gallon water rate Smithville now charges DUD. DUD manager Jon Foutch shared that Warren County Utility District has expressed interest in selling water to DUD at a rate much more reasonable than the city as well.The DUD board voted 5-0 to authorize their attorneys to take whatever legal action they deemed “proper and necessary” to force the city to drop the rate they are charging the utility. DUD management was also given the go-ahead to lower the rate the utility is charging its own customers if the cost from the city is lowered.Turney said he felt DUD had sound legal footing for the suit.“We feel that $5 per 1,000 gallons is not reasonable,” Turney said. “During the court hearing, the City of Smithville hired a company to do a rate study.