By JIM BUTLER

It will cost Pineville $188,500 to be done with Brittany Poston Mechell.

The city’s attorney outlined for the City Council Tuesday evening the mediation process that led to that figure.

It represents payment to Mechell, a city employee at the time, for her discrimination claim following affairs with then-Mayor Rich Dupree and his Chief of Staff.

The payment includes her legal costs.

As that door closes, another opens.

The council heard a report on its annual audit that raises the issue of questionable credit card charges totaling about $25,000 during the audit year.

Those findings have been turned over to the proper authorities he said as he outlined a number of procedural changes necessary in the city’s system.

The audit report will be released by the Legislative Auditor Office in the near future.