THE LAWSUIT FILED BY TODD FISCAL COURT AGAINST FORMER SHERIFF BILLY STOKES HAS BEEN SETTLED.

            FISCAL COURT WAS REQUIRED BY LAW TO SUE THE FORMER SHERRIF EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR ABOUT 12-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF MISAPROPRIATED FUNDS FOUND IN A 2009 AUDIT. OFFICIALS HAVE NOTED THE MONEY WASN’T STOLEN OR POCKETED, ONLY MISSPENT.

            FORMER SHERIFF STOKES OFFERED A CHECK FOR ALL OF THE MONEY MIS-SPENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT TOOK COURT ACTION TODAY TO DECLARE THE MATTER SETTLED.

            ACTING UNANIMOUSLY AFTER A LENGTHY CLOSED SESSION, COURT APPROVED THE SETTLEMENT AND JUDGE-EXECUTIVE DARRYL GREENFIELD SAID HE’S GLAD THE MATTER IS OVER FOR NOW.

            THE COURT WILL NOT PURSUE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS MISAPROPRIATED FROM THE “DONATION FUND” AS THAT MONEY WAS VOLUNTARILY GIVEN AND NOT TAKEN THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF TAXES.

            IT IS POSSIBLE MORE ISSUES COULD BE RAISED WHEN A 2010 AUDIT IS RELEASED, THOUGH THAT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

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