FAYETTEVILLE -- A grievance hearing for a fired Washington County Road Department employee and whistleblower has been postponed indefinitely pending a settlement between the county and former employee, the county attorney said Friday.
George Braswell, a heavy equipment operator for three years, requested the hearing after he was fired in April. Braswell also sued the county in late 2014 in federal court claiming he was punished after pointing out construction problems at two county bridges.
Braswell on Friday said the settlement would end the lawsuit and grievance process.
County Attorney Steve Zega confirmed a settlement had been reached but said it had not yet been formalized. Details should be available by next week, Zega said.
Braswell's reports led to a county investigation that found multiple issues with the construction of the Harvey Dowell and Stonewall bridges, which have since been corrected, and other safety and employment concerns throughout the Road Department.
Several resignations and retirements followed, and a new department superintendent was hired.
His lawsuit also was one of four from county employees claiming retaliation at least partly stemming from the employees' support of County Judge Marilyn Edwards' political opponent in the 2014 election. The other three lawsuits have been settled or dismissed. The county paid two plaintiffs $67,000 combined without admitting wrongdoing.
The county didn't release why it fired Braswell last month, though Zega said Braswell was given several reasons.
Besides the bridges, Braswell also has brought up concerns such as sex and age discrimination at the Road Department, according to his grievance form. In March, he wrote a letter to justices of the peace pointing out the Road Department planned to buy red dirt from an employee's family members without Quorum Court approval.
Metro on 05/28/2016