The Coweta

County Commission quietly decided Tuesday afternoon to accept emergency

funds from the governor's office for Solicitor Robert Stokely.

The approval

of the funds was a sharp contrast from last week's firestorm when the

commission expressed indignation about not being in the loop on Stokely's

request.

Stokely asked

for $5,000 for office furniture.

Stokely had

requested the funds in his original budget to the county, and County Administrator

Theron Gay said the furniture has already been bought.

Many of the

commissioners were shocked that Stokely did not consult the county before

he asked the governor for funds.

"We didn't

ask the governor for $5,000," said commission Chairman Robert Wood.

Commissioner

Lawrence Nelms said he saw the letter Stokely wrote to the governor. Nelms

said the letter indicated the county wouldn't provide the funds to Stokely,

but reiterated Gay's point that the furniture had already been purchased.

Commissioner

Vernon "Mutt" Hunter wanted clarification on where the funds

would be placed. He asked staff to see if the funds could be placed back

in the general fund to compensate for the furniture.

State officials

said funds could not be put in the feneral fund, and Stokely pledged to

use a purchase order system to identify what he was purchasing with the

state funds.