A sexual harassment lawsuit against Lowndes County and District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders has been settled.
Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston told The Dispatch Friday morning that the suit, filed in May of 2021, settled May 31.
Cynthia Thompson alleged that Sanders sexually harassed her, both physically and verbally. She alleged he repeatedly asked her for sex and touched her inappropriately for as long as he had been board president.
Sanders was president of the board from the early 2000s until 2020.
The terms of the settlement are undisclosed, Hairston said.
“The insurance company settled it, and that’s basically kind of the end of it,” Hairston said. “We literally do not know what the number is.”
Thompson was employed with the county for 24 years, retiring April 30, 2021. She primarily worked as executive assistant for the county administrator but dealt with board members as part of her job.
She alleged that Sanders was unafraid of suffering repercussions because there was no mechanism under state law for board members to control the misconduct of another board member.
Tupelo-based attorney Jim Waide, who is representing Thompson, did not return a phone call seeking comment by press time.
“It’s good to have one of these (lawsuits) out of the way,” Hairston said.
The county is still litigating a suit filed by former County Administrator Ralph Billingsley that alleges age discrimination.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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