I've still never met George Braswell, the heavy equipment operator for Washington County who blew the whistle on improperly built bridges and raised questions about the backwards way the county was moving to purchase dirt for road building.
But I don't have to meet or even know him to know I respect the man a lot. I'll go so far as to say every county and city would benefit from having a watchdog George Braswell on their payroll.
Despite being fired by the county in April for undisclosed reasons, the outspoken man wound up $95,000 better off in a settlement released last week of a federal lawsuit Braswell filed against the county back in December 2014. In resolving that case, Braswell agreed not to file further suits against the county alleging political retaliation.
I can't blame the county for trying to elicit such a promise from Braswell. The fella has been continually proven right and as relentless as Columbo as a whistle-blower. Plus he started a fire of sorts among other county workers who felt wronged. Three former or current employees also sued the county claiming unjust retaliation after Braswell had filed. Two settled for $67,000 and the third case was dismissed.
Braswell claimed he was punished for alerting the county to construction issues with the bridges and for his support for County Judge Marilyn Edwards' political opponent, Jeff Williams, who was then the county assessor. Williams lost.
A news account by reporter Dan Holtmeyer said a county investigation revealed that road crews either ignored, or were unaware of, critical design specifications on the Stonewall and Harvey Dowell bridges. Corrections were made to both spans after Braswell's concerns were proven right. Other matters involving safety and departmental promotions were revealed and resolved by that investigation, followed by resignations and retirements. A new Road Department superintendent also was hired.
Earlier this year, Braswell also informed officials that his department was planning to purchase dirt from a county employee's family member. County road folks already had carved out a pathway to the pit before the quorum court had approved the transaction. Questions also arose about the quality and suitability of the dirt for building roads. That matter was resolved through soil testing that had not been initially performed.
Still another ripple from what I'll call The Braswell Effect on Washington County was the dissension between some members of the court. As Holtmeyer so aptly explained, some blamed Edwards for poor leadership while others defended her. She didn't respond to requests for comment after the settlement was announced, but Edwards has said previously that she initially failed to take Braswell's concerns about his department seriously because she suspected him of "political grandstanding." But when they proved true, she said she acted promptly to deal with the bridges and other issues.
Part of their legal agreement was that the county admitted no wrongdoing and Braswell has agreed to not work for the county under the guidance of Marilyn Edwards, who is not seeking re-election. That decision seems pretty much a no-brainer to me.
County Attorney Steve Zega was quoted saying he felt relieved the lawsuit didn't cost the county as much to resolve as some quorum court members had expected. The settlement is paid from the Association of Arkansas Counties Risk Management Fund. "There's some good things in resolution," Zega told Holtmeyer. "Just the fact that it's not hanging over everyone's head anymore."
After the settlement was announced, Braswell also likely drew a cleansing breath and exhaled slowly. "With the retaliation that I've had before and since the lawsuit has been filed, the settlement has taken a great burden off my shoulders," Braswell told Holtmeyer, adding that he'd return to county work "if they thought I could do good for them. There's been a lot of good that came out of it. There's more that needs to come out."
Uh-oh, that sounded rather ominous in light of his track record, didn't it?
I'd consider it a blessing to have someone of George Braswell's dedication to doing the right thing on my tax-supported county staff. I'd make him a supervisor. But then, of course, I'm no politician, so I'd probably be fired, too. At least Braswell departs with a clean conscience and $95,000 to show for his efforts and concern.
Encouraging messages
Thanks to the many readers who've sent messages encouraging the need for sustained and continued public scrutiny of C&H Hog Farms at Mount Judea. That's the factory the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (cough) quickly, quietly and wrongheadedly permitted to operate with up to 6,500 swine in our state and nation's treasured Buffalo National River watershed. There's a reason former Gov. Mike Beebe was quoted as saying that terrible decision made on his watch was his biggest regret in office.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 06/05/2016