Texas County taxpayers have spent about $85,000 to defend themselves against separate lawsuits that also involve elected county officials, records show. About half of the expenditures have been spent in the first eight months of the year.
Texas County government is named in separate lawsuits. The first involves a former 911 dispatcher, Carol Denise Wilson, who sued County Commissioner Don Shelhammer, Texas County and Wri-Tex 911 in February 2008. In the suit, Wilson alleges that Shelhammer subjected her to offensive sexual remarks and conduct in May and June of 2006 and forced her to leave her job as a 911 dispatcher. The case was transferred on a change of venue to Pulaski County. It is to be heard in May 2010.
Records show that the Clayton law firm of The Lowenbaum Partnership LLC has received $59,033 to defend the county against the claims.
Wilson, claiming sexual harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act, asks for actual and punitive damages “exceeding $25,000” against Shelhammer, Texas County government and its 911 system. Count II alleges battery.
The second case involving the county is a federal lawsuit that names it and Michael Anderson, county prosecutor. Monica Daniel Hutchison, a former county employee, alleges employment discrimination, retaliation, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, defamation by Anderson, who in May 2006 had filed a civil case against Hutchison alleging wrong-doing and charged she and another county worker, Mildred Williams, operated a sex ring from the county courthouse. Anderson later dropped the suit. Williams has a lawsuit against Anderson pending in Texas County Circuit Court. It was filed in July.
Records show the county has paid the Springfield firm of Taylor, Stafford, Clithers, Fitzgerald & Harris LLP about $6,767 to defend it in the federal suit. Another $19,352 has been disbursed to The Lowenbaum Partnership LLC.
The federal matter is set for a trial in December 2010.
The payments were disclosed as part of Sunshine Law request filed with the county by the Herald.
The county is not paying legal fees for either Shelhammer or Anderson.