Ouray County Commissioner Lynn Padgett is asking the county to pay nearly $11,000 for the attorney she hired after the county road and bridge superintendent filed a harassment complaint against her last summer.

Padgett’s attorney, Roger Sagal, requested the county issue Padgett a “prompt reimbursement” of $10,980 for his services in a letter sent to Ouray County Attorney Leo Caselli and outside counsel Chris McAnany on Feb. 17.

That request is slated for discussion in an executive session during a regular board of county commissioners meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger filed a complaint against Padgett last fall, accusing her of harassment and “a continuous pattern of hostility.”

County leaders paid for an investigation into that complaint, and some employees were asked to interview with the investigator, but the final report made no conclusive findings about whether the allegations were true.

During a Jan. 14 meeting to review the inconclusive investigation report, county leaders decided to craft new leadership and conduct norms rather than rehashing details of the investigation.

Padgett said she and Sagal came prepared to address the content of the report during that meeting — by presenting their own evidence and witnesses — but agreed to move on from the issue by adopting a leadership and governance policy.

The letter requesting reimbursement argues Padgett was refused the opportunity to “adjudicate the merits of the complaint” and said the complaint ultimately “died on the vine.” Sagal wrote the complaint had no findings of fact and “alleged constitutionally protected speech and conduct by an elected official.”

The letter says Caselli advised Padgett to hire her own counsel after she found out about the complaint, saying he could not provide advice or represent her interest on the issue due to “a perceived conflict of interest with [his] duties to the County.”

The letter also says Padgett was informed about the complaint on Oct. 7, “after it had been ‘leaked’ to the local paper by the complaining party, and while it was being disclosed to the local paper by the County through a CORA request.”

The meeting agenda does not indicate a vote will be taken after the executive session discussion Tuesday. Under state law, elected officials must make decisions in meetings open to the public.