On Aug. 22, 2007, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Harold, an Olathe farmer, against the board regarding the Colorado Open Meetings Law. The suit alleges the appointments of trustees Linda Steele on Aug. 28, 2006 and Kelley Collins on May 18, 2007 were invalid because they were made through secret ballots. Neither member is currently on the board.
During the meeting, the board approved an agreement which includes paying Harold $22,000 for attorney fees.
|
Advertisement |
If the board would have settled at that time, fees would have been slightly more than $21,000, Harold said.
Three members voted “yes” to the agreement; trustees Ted Jiron and Dan Kelso voted “no.” Trustee Michelle Mousner was not present to vote.
The board also approved a new town attorney and town clerk. They were sworn in by Olathe Mayor Don Perkins.
David Masters, of Masters Law Firm in Montrose, will serve as the town’s attorney. Masters has practiced law in Montrose since 1986 and said the Olathe position is a good opportunity to expand his business.
“I look at a town like Olathe as a corporate entity ... similar to a large nonprofit,” Masters said.
Though Masters has experience with real estate issues, employment laws and contracts, he said drafting ordinances will be slightly new. His only work in that area was assisting with drafting the Montrose Nonsmoking Ordinance.
New Town Clerk Martina Pena will begin her position Wednesday.
Over the past year, the board has seen several changes at the administration level. Former Town Clerk Cheryl Suppes resigned in April 2007, at which time Terri Foechterle became deputy clerk and assisted in the responsibilities until Trudi Kramer was hired as clerk in June 2007.
Pena, a Delta County resident, said she’s excited to be a part of the community she grew up in. She previously worked at the Mesa County Election Office.
Pena will work with Kramer, who is helping at the office until Foechterle returns next week, at which time Foechterle will help Pena learn her new position.
Perkins said Pena will also receive training from the Colorado Municipal League.
Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com
• Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
• Be relevant. Keep your comments on point.
• See the guidelines for TalkAbout. Perhaps your comment is best for that community forum, available from the home page, instead of commenting on a particular story.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. Montrose Press is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in montrosepress.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Montrose Press. Montrose Press does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Montrose Press spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!