Owens attorney fees

Urged the board to pay Owens' fees, noting the ethics complaint was dismissed entirely and the county's own policy defines dismissal as prevailing.

Called the episode 'hobgoblinism' and urged the board to protect a whistleblower by paying the fees.

Cited prior cases where the county paid employees' legal fees and said just pay the roughly $120,000 to avoid a costlier lawsuit.

Warned the county will pay later if it doesn't pay now, and said this pattern of bad legal advice keeps costing taxpayers.

Said paying now is cheaper and urged the board to settle the matter and move on.

Owens' attorney defended his $390 hourly rate and the $11,000 Leon County filing, saying it arose from the Fifth Amendment discovery fight.