Board denies claim for vehicle window damage after roadside mowing; statute requires proof of negligence

A resident who said a county roadside mower shattered her vehicle's rear window reported the incident to the Board of Supervisors and asked the county to pay for repairs. The woman said the mower was operating along a county right-of-way and that debris struck her car with enough force to put a hole in the glass.

County counsel explained the claim falls under the statutory tort-claims process and that, under state law, the county may not pay a claim unless the board finds that a county employee was negligent or failed to exercise reasonable care that caused the damage. Counsel and supervisors discussed routine practices'signage placed during mowing operations and limits on pre-cleaning ditches'and noted that simply showing an object struck a window does not by itself establish negligence.

After discussion about evidence and the statutory standard, the board moved to deny the claim because the record did not establish the required showing of county-employee negligence. The motion carried.