Clerk of Superior Court Joan Griffies is a happy woman.

After Wednesday's ruling by the Supreme Court that upheld Griffies' controversial bottled water policy, the clerk feels vindicated that she is doing her job correctly.

The court ruled that Coweta County did not have the authority to determine whether the clerk's purchase of bottled water for her employees was within her duties.

“It's a matter of micro-management and people trying to tell me how to run my department. I'm pleased with the ruling,” Griffies said.

In 1997, Griffies took over her duties as clerk. Before she was elected, Griffies worked in the courthouse and complained the water in the building was greenish and poor quality.

During 1997 and 1998, she purchased bottled water for her employees and sent the bills totalling $363.89 to the county for repayment.

The county commissioners refused to pay the bills because they said it was not a necessary cost for her office. Griffies sued the county and asked county attorney Mitch Powell to represent her. But Powell said he couldn't represent her and the county, and the county also refused to pay for an attorney for her.

The matter wound up in Coweta Superior Court and Judge Bill Lee ruled in favor of the county. Griffies appealed the decision to the Supreme Court and waited for its ruling.

The ruling said the county has to pay the water bills and the clerk's legal bills.

“By the county not listening to the voice of reason, it's now costing the taxpayers money,” she said.

In its decision, the court said although the courthouse water did not exceed EPA standards for poor water, Griffies had the right to spend the money.

“Once a budget has been established for a county officer by the County Commission, the county officer has the discretion to expend money designated in the miscellaneous line item of the budget `within the sphere of her legally delegated powers' and a trial court cannot interfere with this discretion unless it is abused,” the court wrote.

The clerk asked the Superior Court to assess attorney fees in the case.

“I really regret it's costing the county anything,” she said.

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