Discrimination lawsuit against sheriff settled

A lawsuit against Sheriff George Wilhelm has been settled out of court.

Rowan County agreed to pay former deputy Tamara Pounds $2,500 during a mediation session in Greensboro on Friday.

Pounds of Rockwell filed the suit last April in U.S. Middle District Court.

She contended that she had been discriminated against by being moved around from job to job. Her suit further contended that in September 1999 she was changed from a firearm carrying officer to a non-carrying officer and she was transferred to the jail and told she could no longer work in law enforcement.

The suit contended that she was treated differently because of her gender.

Pounds and her attorney met with County Attorney John Holshouser and Ken Deal, director of administration for the county in the court ordered mediation.

Pounds, who is now working for the Iredell County Sheriff’s Department, accepted the county offer.

“We’re happy to have it resolved and move on,” said Deal today.

The county contended that there were no grounds for the suit.

Pounds was not immediately available for comment.

Last week, the Rowan County Board of County Commissioners met in closed session to discuss the suit and offer guidance to county officials on settlement discussions.

Contact Jessie Burchette at jburchette@salisburypost.com  or call 704-797-4254.