Mediator’s try fails to settle Stokes V. Oconee et al

An alternative attempt to settle the lawsuit between Oconee’s former director of building codes and the county, along with two of its council members, failed this month, but a mediator says he would be willing to give it another try. It’s the case of David Stokes against Oconee County and council members Edda Cammick and Wayne McCall. Robert Hassold Jr., a mediator and arbitrator, in a filing with the Common Pleas Court, stated that an alternative dispute resolution ran three and a half hours July 13. Hassold says the lawsuit requires a further mediation and arbitration, and he’s willing to conduct it. According to a court officer, if the case can’t be resolved the alternative way, it will be placed on the Common Pleas jury docket. In recent weeks Stokes’ attorney filed an offer to settle provided the three defendants each pay his client $300 thousand.