FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County officials say they still need more information to get to the bottom of road worker safety concerns after interviewing the employee who two months ago said the county wasn't following several state laws.
George Braswell, a heavy equipment operator, met Sept. 29 with County Judge Marilyn Edwards and Road Superintendent Donnie Coleman to discuss Braswell's claims the county didn't always follow laws for traffic safety and permitting for digging and wide truckloads, according to a transcript of the meeting.
Meeting information
Washington County Quorum Court
The Quorum Court, with County Judge Marilyn Edwards, presiding next meets Monday to discuss budget issues for next year. County residents can give public comment on those discussions during the meeting, and at the end can comment on any county issue.
• When: 5:30 p.m. Monday
• Where: Quorum Courtroom of the county courthouse, 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville
Braswell said the violations could be dangerous, even deadly, in a letter to the county judge and Quorum Court in August.
Braswell and his attorney originally refused to meet with the officials because Braswell is also suing Edwards, Coleman and other county officials in U.S. District Court. He claims they violated his civil rights and retaliated against him during the past year or so for his whistle-blowing about faulty bridge-building. The county has denied his claims.
The meeting came about 10 days after the county asked the court to compel Braswell, with his attorney present, to talk with his supervisors and the county attorney about the most recent claims. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks denied the request, telling both sides two parties in a lawsuit can talk to each other about anything they want without violating any legal or ethical rules, though if one side brings its attorney, the other should also be allowed to do so.
In the end neither side had an attorney present, according to the transcript. Braswell gave some information about which supervisors told him and other workers to work without the proper road signs or permits and at what locations. When asked for times and dates, Braswell said he didn't know offhand and would have to check his own records.
"Marilyn, I would have to go back and count them up," Braswell answered when Edwards asked how many times supervisors told workers to dig or grade without the proper permit. "I would say several. I wasn't prepared for your questions."
The meeting was brief, less than 25 minutes long, and the participants apparently remained civil throughout, according to the transcript.
"They definitely want to know what I know -- it went as well it could be," Braswell said Thursday. "My bosses have got the right to talk to me, but not with attorneys present."
At least two of Braswell's three points, the wide load and excavation permitting concerns, had some merit, Edwards and others have said. The Road Department mistakenly thought it was exempt from both in some cases and is now up to date. But questions about specific instances of rule-breaking linger, George Butler, Edwards' chief of staff, said Friday.
Butler said he talked to the supervisors Braswell named, but still needs to talk to at least one person who has been on vacation. He won't know who else to talk to until Braswell provides dates for the infractions, he said. Braswell didn't return a phone message Friday seeking comment on the information.
"I talked to every one of them (the supervisors in question), and nobody corroborated everything he said," Butler said. With certain dates in mind, Butler could look up who was working where, he said. "I could say, 'OK, look at your log and let's see what this is about.'"
"As it stands at this time, we've done everything we can do," Butler added.
NW News on 10/10/2015