28 SEP 05: ADMINISTRATOR-IN-CHIEF

Instant Message to Geena Davis: If you need inspiration for playing the President in your new TV series, you're invited to visit a Russell County Commission meeting. You're not invited by Tillman Pugh, but you're still invited....

Russell County Administrator Leeann Horne-Jordan appeared to win a major victory Tuesday, when the county commission approved a settlement in her big lawsuit. She'll keep her job, receive a big cash payment - and if her attorney had been tougher, she might have won Judge Al Howard's office space.

The Russell County Commission voted 4-3 to approve a settlement in Leeann Horne-Jordan's gender discrimination suit. It's too bad a second vote wasn't taken, on how many members simply wanted to get it over with.

Under the settlement, Russell County will pay $185,000 in damages and fines to Administrator Leeann Horne-Jordan. That may sound like a lot of money - but remember, that wouldn't even buy a house in Russell County for Muscogee County School District officials.

The settlement also calls for Russell County's Administrator to be rehired for four more years, at $65,000 per year. I'm waiting for the outrage over this to start - especially since Russell County High School's baseball coach probably makes less than this.

(It must be nice to have a secure four-year contract. I'm not sure any of the journalists who cover Leeann Horne-Jordan even have two-year deals.)

The settlement also requires Russell County to update certain policies. It wasn't clear Tuesday night exactly what policies these are - but I'm going to assume the phrase, "Fetch me a cup of coffee, toots" won't be allowed anymore.

The final settlement for Administrator Leeann Horne-Jordan will be worked out in negotiations over the next 21 days. So there's still time for her attorney to haggle - to get every extra dollar HE can keep.

Leeann Horne-Jordan's attorney said a settlement was long overdue, and should have been worked out 18 months ago. Yes, but this is Russell County - where the last momentous event to happen quickly was the shutdown of Phenix City's hospital.

This approved settlement doesn't close the legal books completely. Leeann Horne-Jordan also is suing former Russell County Commissioner Tillman Pugh - and she's doing about as well with Pugh, as Pugh is finding the guys who mugged him outside Wal-Mart.

(One lingering question I have is whether Tillman Pugh committed gender discrimination against Leeann Horne-Jordan - or whether he simply cracked too many "dumb blonde" jokes around her.)

This settlement appears to firmly establish Leeann Horne-Jordan as the most powerful woman in Columbus area government. She took on the "good ol' boys" and prevailed. And with the money she's receiving, she won't even have to think about signing endorsement deals with Phenix City salons.

Now for other quick topics from Tuesday:

+ Columbus Council received a briefing on plans to redevelop the midtown area. Ed Burdeshaw of Midtown Columbus told WRBL he wants to eliminate the idea that Macon Road is the city's north-south dividing line. Some of us thought it had moved to Manchester Expressway already....

+ Columbus Parks Director Tony Adams admitted recreation centers were opened for extra hours, while schools were closed the past two days. It may be easy to conserve school bus energy - but the energy of a nine-year-old is a very different matter.

+ Russell County authorities searched for four men who stole automated teller machines from convenience stores in Seale and Hatchechubbee. The suspects no doubt have been busy the last two days - since they have to go through 10,000 four-digit codes to find one that works.

+ Opelika closed its hurricane shelter, about a month after it opened. Isn't this occurring a little too soon? New Orleans residents might drive home, see the mess that city's in and decide to come back.

+ The Greater Columbus Fair opened in South Commons - as commercials appeared on TV warning this will be the "final weekend." Excuse me?! It seems to me this will be the ONLY weekend....

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