Legal indemnification ordinance approved

Oconee County employees are being placed under the protection of a net to cover their legal expenses in matters in which they act in the performance of official duties. County Council last night approved a controversial legal indemnification ordinance that surfaced after The Journal threatened a lawsuit against three councilmen and one other elected official for pursuing a claim alleging members of the newspaper family owe back taxes for an airplane kept at the county airport. The ordinance passed with Thrift, Corbeil, and Dexter in favor, McCall opposed, and Cain absent. In last night’s public comment session, nine of 12 people spoke against the ordinance, including two speakers who called for the council members to resign. A council member-elect, Edda Cammick, also spoke, urging the council to vote against the ordinance. Dick Hughes was one of three who spoke in favor. County Attorney Tom Martin announced that it was he who drafted the ordinance and he defended it during an explanation of why it’s important for county employees to be protected from having to personally foot legal costs, some of which could come from lawsuits that the court rules are frivolous. Martin said the ordinance covers a gap.