GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Ottawa County will have to pay over $188,000 in legal fees to Health Officer Adeline Hambley’s attorneys, the Holland Sentinel reports.
On Monday, Muskegon County 14th Circuit Court Judge Jenny McNeill ruled that the county must pay a total of $188,179.24 in attorney fees and costs to Hambley’s lawyer, Sarah Riley Howard. The figure is the exact amount Howard requested in a March filing, the Sentinel reports. Of that, $166,209.24 covers Howard’s handling of Hambley’s suit against the county and $21,970 was for representing Hambley during a termination hearing.
In February, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided to dismiss all incompetence, neglect and misconduct charges against Hambley, who in turn agreed to drop her lawsuit against the board.
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The two parties agreed to settle to avoid monetary costs from continuing court battles. While the county said it would not have to make a settlement payment to Hambley, the Muskegon court was tapped to decide how much the county owed in attorney fees.
Judge McNeill wrote in her order that the attorney fees were appropriate under the Whistleblower statute and “based on the defendants conduct” in the proceedings, according to the Sentinel.
Monday’s ruling on attorney fees officially closes Hambley’s lawsuit against the board, which was filed in February 2023, after commissioners backed by the conservative political action committee Ottawa Impact tried to oust her in their first meeting in January 2023.
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The attempted ousting of Hambley kicked off a yearlong legal battle as she looked to keep her job. During the budget process later that year, Hambley said a spending plan proposed by the board would have forced the health department to close within weeks. Board Chair Joe Moss and other Ottawa Impact-affiliated commissioners claimed the proposal was never finalized and accused Hambley of creating “public hysteria” with her statements before the budget process was over. Hambley later faced a dayslong termination hearing that didn’t result in her firing. Hambley’s attorney later said both sides agreed upon a $4 million settlement, but county attorneys and Moss denied that ever happened.
Ultimately, Hambley’s agreed to drop her lawsuit in order to keep her job. She still serves in the role.
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