Orange County is being sued for the second time in a couple of years following a death in the Orange County Jail. County Judge Brint Carlton said the county was not insured against such lawsuits prior to the Commissioners Court approving such insurance for law enforcement officers and county officials earlier this year. Carlton stated that he was surprised to find the county was not insured when he took office and explained that you don’t want to not have insurance with the possibility of being sued by the public for a number of causes whether there are legitimate reasons or not.
The family of Joda Lewis Atchley is suing the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for monetary damages greater than one million dollars in the wrongful death of Atchley while he was incarcerated in the jail during September of 2013. Monday the Commissioners Court acted on the recommendation of Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning to fight the litigation. The Commissioners unanimously voted to fight the lawsuit in the 260th District Court.
The Commissioners Court voted to take no action Monday on accepting the contract between the county and the Orange County Economic Development Corporation. The funding by the county for the EDC is to cease at the end of September, but there were funds believed available to at least extend the services of the EDC executive director to the end of the calendar year. Attorney Doug Manning was asked to look at the contract and make a recommendation whether it would be acceptable to extend it to the end of December. Manning will have a recommendation by next week’s Commissioners Court meeting.
The Court did proclaim the next three months as United Way months. Minnie Hightower is the county’s chairperson for United Way. Hightower indicated the courthouse will start its United Way drive the first part of October. The goal of the United Way this year is $875,000, and as one of the largest employers in the county Hightower is confidant the courthouse personnel can help United Way exceed their goal this year.
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