WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Sarah Howard, the attorney representing Ottawa County Health Officer Adeline Hambley, filed a motion Wednesday requesting the county pays her legal fees.
The court filing names Ottawa County as a defendant, along with “Ottawa County Commissioners in their individual and official capacities,” which includes Joe Moss, Sylvia Rhodea, Lucy Ebel, Gretchen Cosby, Rebekah Curran, Roger Belknap and Allison Miedema.
Specifically, she is requesting the defendants pay $188,179.24 to cover her attorney fees and costs.
Pl Motion for Attorney Fees - 2024.03.20 by WXMI on Scribd
Howard included an 18-page brief in support of the motion, detailing the events leading up to this request, along with invoices breaking down her hourly rate and hours worked.
This comes after the Board reached a settlement unanimously last month that allows Hambley and her deputy health administrator to keep their jobs.
Per the agreement, Hambley must drop her lawsuit against the county, and the county must drop its charges leveled against Hambley.
READ MORE: Health officer keeps job, drops lawsuit in deal reached with Ottawa County
“We’re hoping that this is the start of a better working relationship between my client and the Board of Commission,” Howard previously told FOX 17.
Hambley filed a lawsuit in February 2023 claiming commissioners wrongfully demoted her with the goal of eventually firing her.
REFERENCE: 'Interim' Ottawa County health officer sues commissioners over demotion, alleged interference
The Kallman Legal Group that represents Ottawa County in all legal matters has been billing the county since this lawsuit began in February 2023. According to a Freedom of Information request FOX 17 has learned that between February through November the firm has billed the Ottawa County Insurance Authority nearly $158,000 to fight the lawsuit.
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