By JOHN THOMPSON
Coweta Editor

This time, the Coweta County Commissioners mean business.

After debating with Clerk of Superior Court Joan Griffies on everything from Halloween festivals to bottled water, the commission drew the line Tuesday and ordered her to obey the law when it comes to turning her collections over to the county. If Griffies does not comply, the commissioners ordered Attorney Mitch Powell to take legal action in Superior Court if she does not follow the commission's bidding.

The county learned last week after an independent audit that Griffies had not been turning her money in to the county on a timely basis. After a meeting of the minds late last week, Griffies sent the county a check for nearly $600,000 in collections for the last few months. But the commissioners learned Tuesday that Griffies had not remitted the interest earned on the funds.

"Oh, come on!" said Commissioner Robert Wood.

The keeping of the interest sent the commission into a frenzy as the commissioners questioned Griffies' assessment that her office generated serveral million dollars in funds to the county.

"They haven't generated anything. They just collect it. The taxpayers of this county generate the funds," Hunter said.

Griffies told Powell that she couldn't remit all the interest to the county because some of the money is due the state, but both Powell and the commission had a problem with her reasoning.

"By not turning the interest over, she's taking money from the taxpayers," said Commissioner Lawrence Nelms.

The commissioners couldn't understand why the funds had not been segregated based on where the funds had to be ultimately remitted, and suggested a tighter rein be placed on the funds.

"Who is going to audit these funds? I would be in favor of internal audits," said Wood.

Hunter ended the debate with a succinct statement and a profound suggestion.

"Let's quit arguing and just make sure she follows the law," Hunter said.

The commission followed Hunter's lead and voted to instruct county officials to make sure Griffies follows the law in depositing her collections. The law stipulates that daily deposits of funds must be made, but Powell said the county would be quite happy with a monthly deposit.

The funds feud caps off a volatile year for the commission and Griffies. Last October, the commission ordered Griffies to take down Halloween decorations in the courthouse because they said the decorations were a fire hazard.

Earlier in the year, Griffies and the county sparred over a bill she sent the county for bottled water in her department. The county refused to pay the bill and Griffies has been paying the thirst tab out of her own pocket for the last few months.