Wellington Board of Trustees 4/09/24
by Nanci Wendland
For more information (including members in attendance) see the full notes document here.*
View the meeting agenda and packet.
A video recording of the meeting is available here.
From the Town of Wellington website: “The purpose of this board is to provide outstanding municipal services for the community of Wellington both today and tomorrow.”
Key Points
Newly elected Trustee Ed Cannon thanked the voters for their votes. He will be sworn onto the board during a special session, Tues. April 16. It is open to the public.
The 2021 Financial Audit is complete. Finance Director Don Rhoads presented a draft copy of the audit. Rhoads said the auditors issued a clean opinion and stated the financials were presented fairly. The 2022 financial audit has already begun, and he expects the results mid-to-late July.
Resolution No. 15-2024: Waiving Land Use Application Fees for a Hardship was unanimously approved by the board. Planning Director Bird requested a $500 waiver for a Wellington resident who needs to bring their property up to code but cannot afford the fees. For privacy reasons, no details were disclosed. Several Trustees suggested the Town Administrator be given approval rights up to a certain dollar amount so that these requests do not have to come before the board. All Trustees agreed to discuss the approval tiers at a future work session.
Resolution No. 16-2024: A Resolution of the Town of Wellington Considering a Contract for Design and Construction Management Services was unanimously approved. J-U-B Engineers have been awarded an $899,000 contract to design and manage the downtown Cleveland Avenue improvements. The project is set to revitalize Wellington’s downtown area, correct drainage problems, and bring Cleveland Avenue up to ADA code and compliance. The project is scheduled to begin in early 2025 (dependent on weather) and be completed by mid-2026. According to Civil Engineer Evonitz, this is a legacy project for Wellington intended to last several decades. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will participate in the design phase. Wellington’s Marketing Director and Project Managers will reach out for input from the residents.
Trustee Gaitor asked that a new Resolution be added to the current agenda this evening. Gaitor wrote the resolution based on election concerns he said he received from 2 Poll Watchers. Both Trustee Tietz and Trustee Gaitor’s wife, Christine, identified themselves as Poll Watcher 1 and 2 respectively. It wasn’t clear if they are part of a larger organized group by this name.
The 2 Poll Watchers said they witnessed the Town Clerk, Ethan Muhs, alone with ballots. This was Muhs first election to oversee. Town employees and board trustees at the meeting said they didn’t believe Muhs had any ill intent, but Trustee Gaitor suggested the perception of wrongdoing was there for himself and the public.
Trustee Gaitor said his recommendations are for the integrity of future elections and security in Wellington and had nothing to do with the current election. Trustee Gaitor was up for reelection to the board this year, and he was not reelected to serve another term.
Some of the recommendations state that:
- There should be a poll book.
- Resident’s names should be announced when entering the voting area.
- No one should have access to the ballot accounting facility.
- The designated watchers should not be required to be residents of Wellington. They must only prove they are a resident of Colorado.
- There should be video surveillance.
- Maintain a log of who enters the room and when they leave.
- Tally sheets should be signed and there should be a chain-of-custody log.
After Trustee Gaitor read aloud his lengthy list of recommendations, Trustee Mason pointed out that most of Gaitor’s recommendations are already a part of State voting rules and State Statute. Mason has previously recommended that Wellington move their local elections to coordinate with Larimer County’s election cycle. Mason says this would provide support from Larimer County during Wellington’s elections.
Trustee Mason objected to the resolution based on the Colorado Open Meetings law, which requires 24 hours’ notice to the public. Attorney Sapienza said the resolution could be discussed but no action would be allowed. Trustee Gaitor said he sent the town administrator and board members an email last week prior to this meeting requesting this resolution be added to the agenda. Mayor Chaussee denied his request, and had the resolution removed.
Mayor Chaussee said he thinks this resolution is inappropriate. It’s out-of-order to address election procedures while a current election is still in progress. “The timing is not correct,” Chaussee said. The public would be better served by discussing this in May after the current election is complete and finalized, he said. Chaussee also said there is a new board starting on April 16, and the new members should be part of the discussion.
Numerous residents weighed in on this topic during the public comment session. Several residents agreed that this issue should be addressed immediately to ensure election integrity and security in Wellington. Other residents agreed this should be addressed but, in the future, not in the middle of an election. One resident said it looks like 2 board members are colluding. Another resident said the timing will sow doubt right now and should be addressed with a longer discussion in the future.
Trustee Gaitor’s spouse, Christine, also named as a Poll Watcher said she witnessed an unsealed manilla envelope with 25 ballots inside left laying around the room unattended, and at another time saw Muhs sorting ballots by himself.
Trustee Tietz said, “There was no colluding. Two Trustees are allowed to support an item and add it to the agenda.”
The Trustees voted 5-1 (Trustee Daily voted no) in favor of postponing the discussion and consideration of the Resolution to the June 11, 2024, meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Next Meeting: April 23, 2024, 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO
Questions To Consider
Will board members reach out to Larimer County for election assistance?
Will the Mayor be able to unite the new board members?
*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.