Montgomery County commissioners sue controller over unpaid bills

The Montgomery County commissioners have sued County Controller Diane Morgan over her refusal to pay a pair of contracts.

The lawsuit alleges that Morgan has declined to write checks to cover an $18,540 bill to a Maryland printing company for county maps because the money is slotted to come from a fund dedicated to improving county recordkeeping. County Solicitor Barry Miller said Friday that county maps have been paid out of that fund for years.

It also alleges that Morgan has refused to pay a $99,100 tab for the Harrisburg-based law firm Saul Ewing's work on county prison expansion contracts.

When the firm was picked in April, Morgan said she had not seen enough documentation in support of the hire. County commissioners defended the choice and said the firm has unique expertise in the field.

Morgan said Friday that she still has not received a requested fee agreement with Saul Ewing's billing rates, which she considers a legal requirement before she can pay the bill. She also said she would continue to challenge bills for which she has not seen enough documentation.

The suit, filed Thursday in Montgomery County Court, asks a judge to order Morgan to pay the bills.

No hearing date has been set.