After a year of accusations and threats of legal action, a court hearing between Grady EMC in Cairo and a host of disgruntled members is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 9 a.m. at the Grady County Courthouse.

Plaintiffs in the case include Gordon Clyatt, Ronald Sellars, C. Seaborn Roddenbery, Jerome J. Ellis and Roy Brock. They are represented by attorneys George T. Talley and Edward F. Preston, of Valdosta.

The plaintiffs are looking for information and answers as to the alleged misuse of corporation’s funds and labor.

Concerns have been raised over Grady EMC’s purchase and subsequent sale of United National Bank stock to former Grady EMC general manager Thomas A. Rosser, Sr., work performed by Grady EMC mechanics on Rosser, Sr.’s, personal vehicles, the $3.8 million renovation of Grady EMC’s headquarters and the purchase of a large tract of land on Georgia Hwy. 112.

Grady EMC is also being sued over the way it retains capital credits, which are not distributed back to members until they are deceased and are used for business decisions.
In addition to Rosser, Sr., and the EMC, the defendants include the Grady EMC board of directors Dewey Brock, Jr., Caylor Ouzts, Lama Carlton James Freeman, Lamar Strickland, Robert E. Lee, James Lewis and general manager Thomas A. (Bo) Rosser, Jr.

Rosser, Sr., is represented by Greg Michell of Stanley, Esrey & Buckley of Atlanta. Other attorneys for the defendants include Hugh B. McNAtt of Vidalia, T. Joshua, R. Archer, M. Anne Kaufold-Wiggins and Matthew B. Ames of Balch & Bingham of Atlanta, M. Clay Chason of the Chason Law Firm in Cairo, V. Gail Lane of Altman & Lane in Thomasville and Thomas Conger of Bainbridge.

This information was compiled from an article by Randy Wind of the Cairo Messenger.