County pays $7,500 to settle lawsuit

According to a report on Channel 4 News Wednesday, the county's insurance company paid $7,500 to settle a lawsuit brought against the county by a local woman.

The settlement was apparently approved and the payment of a $7,500 deductible to the insurance company without the knowledge or approval of the current Cannon County Board of Commissioners. According to current County Executive Brent Bush, the settlement took place prior to the time he took office, while he was still a county commissioner, and the previous commission was aware of the settlement.

According to Bush the deductible was paid on June 25, 2018.

The lawsuit was brought against the county by Jan Powell, who claimed former Cannon County Executive Mike Gannon violated her freedom of speech rights.

The settlement by the insurance company is not an indication Gannon admitted to violating Powell's free speech rights, or that he approved of the agreement.

According to the Channel 4 report, Powell received $30,000 from the settlement and $40,000 went to her attorney.