A protracted and often acrimonious legal battle between Salt Lake County commissioners and former County Attorney Doug Short came to a close Monday with a settlement that pays Short $100,000 and his lawyers an additional $100,000.
In an agreement formally signed during the last official meeting of the Salt Lake County Commission, Short agreed to the payment that precludes him from bringing any future legal action against the county. Commissioners Mary Callaghan, Brent Overson and Mark Shurtleff unanimously approved the deal.
The most notable provision of the six-page document rests in a clause that prohibits any of the commissioners or Short from making any "derogatory or critical comments or accusations about each other."
Randy Dryer, the attorney representing Salt Lake County in the matter, told the commission that the provision would in essence end this "war of words and brings a final chapter to a close in a long-running dispute."
Dryer described the settlement as "an effort to buy peace and put this matter behind us once and for all."
Overson, moments before voting to accept the settlement, publicly apologized to Short and said the dispute was never intended to be personal.
Afterward, Short said he was relieved that the matter had been resolved.
"It's an incredible drain to be involved in litigation," he said. "We can move on."
Short sued Commissioners Overson, Callaghan and Randy Horiuchi in 1996, challenging their contributions of county funds to charitable organizations. The battle evolved into an ugly scandal that had the commission turning around and suing Short, physically ousting him from a meeting and shaving his salary by about $25,000 a year. Eventually, the County Attorney's Office was restructured, eliminating Short's ability to run for re-election in 1998.
A subsequent lawsuit by Short accused the commissioners of violating his civil rights when he was kicked out of the County Government Center.
The settlement reached Monday was no surprise. County commissioners were motivated to end the legal dispute because they would have continued to have personal financial liability even after leaving office. The new Salt Lake County Council was set to be sworn in during a noon ceremony Monday.
E-MAIL: amyjoi@desnews.com