Medford Water Commission fires spokeswoman - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

Medford, Ore. — The spokeswoman for the Medford Water Commission is without a job tonight. Sara Bristol was fired Friday by manager Larry Rains. She was hired in October, and was not given a reason for her dismissal, but she was still under a 1-year probationary period.

Board members tell us her firing came as a surprise, saying she was praised for her handling of recent issues with lead pipes in the water system. They say they plan to address Bristol’s firing with Rains, who is currently undergoing a performance review.

Rains tells us he can’t comment on the board’s position and has no plans to change his mind. He says water commission staff will pick up her job responsibilities until a new spokesperson is hired.