The board decided against approving a version of the resolution prepared by town attorney Mindi Conerly Piggot after discovering numerous errors. She was not present Wednesday.
“A variety of institutions have approved it without an attorney’s opinion. Personally, no hard feelings guys, when you get your bill, you can say it’s wasted money,” Tuxedo Corn Company owner John Harold said.
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The approved resolution was presented by Montrose County Housing Authority chair Noelle Hagan at the board’s Monday meeting. The vote was postponed to Wednesday to allow for public notice and the town attorney to examine it.
Conerly Piggot has worked for the town less than a month and has not previously served as a town attorney. She replaces Susan Baker, whose service was extended to March 15 as she provides counsel to the town regarding a lawsuit.
Following Wednesday’s vote, the board asked town staff to make copies of the resolution available in town hall for residents to sign.
The town’s vote Wednesday joins more than 300 resolutions and letters of support headed for U.S. senators Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard within the next two weeks, Harold said.
The Delta County Commissioners, Delta-Montrose Electric Association, Montrose Area Merchants Association and Rotary are among the boards and individuals supporting the resolution.
Olathe Mayor Woody Palmer did not attend the Monday and Wednesday meetings.
In other Olathe news, the board announced Monday to retain Baker’s counsel as well as Denver law firm Nathan, Bremer, Dumm and Meyers to represent the town in a lawsuit involving Harold.
Harold filed suit against the town board last August, alleging violations of the Colorado Open Meetings Law. Mediation was held earlier this month in Grand Junction.
The Denver firm includes attorney J. Andrew Nathan, whom the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency — the town’s insurance company — hired to investigate allegations made by an anonymous group of Olathe residents more than a year ago. The results, released in March 2007, found no wrongdoing.
The town spent an estimated $42,000 in legal fees in 2007, overshooting a budget of $13,600. Funds for supplies, equipment lease and rental, postage, phone expenses and dues and membership fees were cut to compensate, said interim town administrator Pam Woods.
This year, the town budget for legal and litigation fees is $45,000.
For more information regarding the Olathe farm dormitory issue, visit http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2008/02/27/news/doc47c0f06d405de073314197.txt
Contact Robert Allen via e-mail at roberta@montrosepress.com
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