OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County Commissioners continued it's over-one-month-long discussion about whether to fire, settle, or take more legal action against Health Officer Adeline Hambley who the Board of Commissioners' chair alleged was incompetent and neglectful.
Tuesday's closed-door meeting finally brought three resolutions.
First, the commission voted to allow counsel on both sides to agree on a mediator to facilitate discussion and hopefully bring some sort of conclusion.
Second, a five-member committee made up of commissioners will advise on the mediation, but neither they nor the counsel have the ability to make final offers.
Finally, the commission will recess the meeting until a date they have yet to set.
A 14th Circuit Court judge had expected to hear testimony from top county officials on Monday, but the hearing was delayed as the judge received new documents regarding the case.
Hambley's attorney, Sarah Howard, asserted that a deal had been reached between Hambley and the county, which led to them asking Circuit Court Judge Jenny McNeill to enforce the settlement as part of the hearing.
The deal, Howard said, would include the county paying Hambley $4 million in exchange for her resignation and an end to her ongoing litigation against them that stemmed from their attempt in January to remove her from the post without prior notice.
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