In an anti-climatic ending to perhaps the juiciest scandal to hit the county in 2009, the Board of Supervisors authorized the settlement of a lawsuit by former Assistant County Administrator Gail Wilcox.
On Feb. 2, the county grudgingly settled with Wilcox’s attorneys for a total of $180,000, in exchange for her dismissal of all claims against the county and her former boss, David Edge.
“Ultimately, the cost-benefit of this modest settlement outweighed the high cost of defending David Edge and the county through trial,” read the Feb. 2 press release. “The board believes the settlement allows the county organization to close this difficult chapter, move forward, and utilize staff time and energy to focus on more pressing county business and serving the needs of the public.”
According to the release, the county has paid $337,000 in investigation and litigation defense, and will be reimbursed for all settlement costs and legal fees in excess of $250,000 by its insurance carrier.
This article appears in Feb 4-11, 2010.