Council ethics on table
Former members challenge Brenner
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Steamboat Springs — Seven former members of the Steamboat Springs City Council, including two former presidents, are the latest to challenge the ethics of current Councilman Ken Brenner.
Brenner and colleagues on the current council said the move by the former council members was a political stunt designed to discredit Brenner during an election year.
"This is no small issue," Kathy Connell said Wednesday. "We want people who lead our city to serve by example. I think council, as a body, has got to start to respect others and respect its position."
Connell served on the council for eight years and as its president from November 2001 to November 2003. Connell attended Tuesday night's City Council meeting with former council president Mary Brown and former council members Paula Cooper Black, Les Liman, Pete Wither, Carol Fox and Bud Romberg.
"Because there are those of us who have served on council and who have worked so hard to act in an ethical manner, it makes us question the integrity - collectively and individually - of the council," said Cooper Black, who was elected to council in 1987 and served for 12 years before retiring in 1999.
Romberg said that in ethical questions, "perception is perhaps more important than actual reality."
"I do think it's very important that the council does everything it can to make sure that it has the trust of the community," said Romberg, a council member from 1999 to 2003. "The position on previous councils has always been, 'if there's a question, bring it up.'"
At a council meeting Feb. 6, Steamboat Springs resident Bob Maddox questioned Brenner about the complimentary ski pass Brenner has for years received from Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. Brenner said the pass is related to his volunteer work in ski coaching and race management, not to his work as a council member. That position has been supported by ski officials; still, Brenner returned the pass last week.
"Ken has dealt with it and returned the pass. I consider the issue closed," City Council President Pro-tem Steve Ivancie said at Tuesday's meeting.
But later, during the public comment portion of Tuesday's meeting, former City Manager Paul Hughes accused Brenner of using his council position to request free golf at Haymaker Golf Course last summer.
Brenner said he simply accepted an invitation from Haymaker professional Hank Franks to play a nine-hole round and inquired about the possibility of acquiring golf passes for council members and city staff.
Councilman Towny Anderson said by not disclosing the ski pass, Brenner made an "error in judgment" that does not warrant the resulting backlash, which Anderson described Wednesday as "a not-so-subtle going for blood."
"It's pouncing on an opportunity to go after somebody, and it comes across with virtually no credibility whatsoever," Anderson said. "This is a pathetic attempt to discredit Ken."
Connell said the incident is "not a witch hunt" by former council members or by Hughes, who was fired by the council in December 2005, when Brenner was council president.
"In my mind it has nothing to do with Ken personally, it has to do with his behavior as a political figure," Cooper Black added. "We would feel that way about any council member that acted inappropriately."
Connell said "there are hard feelings" toward Brenner from some community members and local political figures, partly due, she said, to previous council campaigns.
In November, five of the seven council seats - including those held by Brenner, Anderson, Karen Post, Susan Dellinger and Paul Strong - will be on the ballot.
"Of course every citizen has the right to ask ethical questions of their elected officials, and we want to reflect a high standard of ethical behavior," Brenner said. "Are we suddenly aware of an ethical problem with our City Council or is this just a really early beginning to the fall election campaign?"
Anderson agreed. He called the accusations "political grandstanding."
Cooper Black said she hopes the council will further consider ethical questions at future meetings.
"It's a small town, and everybody knows what's going on," she said. "The fact that the questions have arisen means they deserve to be discussed in public."
Comments
id04sp 6 years, 3 months ago
A competent district attorney would prosecute him for violating the statutes posted above.
People can poo-poo my claims of public corruption all they want, but stories like this prove it happens all the time. It's just that nobody seems to get prosecuted for it.
Wonder why that is? (I wonder who else is getting golf and ski passes . . . . ?)
paulablack 6 years, 3 months ago
Yes, you are correct, I have had a silver medallion. However, I paid for it through the Yampa Valley Community Foundation's Passport Program as a way to support philanthropy in our community.
Gadfly 6 years, 3 months ago
Let me see if I've got this right. Brenner admits asking for free golf passes for himself and other Council members, and Anderson says it's all a plot to discredit Ken? Looks to me as if Brenner doesn't need any help being discredited because he's doing a pretty good job of it himself. Wonder how much more is out there.
Bullpen 6 years, 3 months ago
I fail to see how this amounts to political grandstanding or going for blood. Ken has done enough to bring this on himself, and frankly deserves every bit of it. Asking for golf passes, no matter how innocent he makes it sound, is way out of line for an elected offical.
Are we supposed to lie down while they seek personal gain as a result of their election to council?
The former council members deserve respect, credit, and the attention of the town.
id04sp 6 years, 3 months ago
24-18-104. Rules of conduct for all public officers, members of the general assembly, local government officials, and employees. Statute text (1) Proof beyond a reasonable doubt of commission of any act enumerated in this section is proof that the actor has breached his fiduciary duty and the public trust. A public officer, a member of the general assembly, a local government official, or an employee shall not:
(a) Disclose or use confidential information acquired in the course of his official duties in order to further substantially his personal financial interests; or
(b) Accept a gift of substantial value or a substantial economic benefit tantamount to a gift of substantial value:
(I) Which would tend improperly to influence a reasonable person in his position to depart from the faithful and impartial discharge of his public duties; or
(II) Which he knows or which a reasonable person in his position should know under the circumstances is primarily for the purpose of rewarding him for official action he has taken.
(2) An economic benefit tantamount to a gift of substantial value includes without limitation a loan at a rate of interest substantially lower than the commercial rate then currently prevalent for similar loans and compensation received for private services rendered at a rate substantially exceeding the fair market value of such services.
(continued below)
id04sp 6 years, 3 months ago
(3) The following shall not be considered gifts of substantial value or gifts of substantial economic benefit tantamount to gifts of substantial value for purposes of this section:
(a) Campaign contributions and contributions in kind reported as required by section 1-45-108, C.R.S.;
(b) An occasional nonpecuniary gift, insignificant in value;
(c) A nonpecuniary award publicly presented by a nonprofit organization in recognition of public service;
(d) Payment of or reimbursement for actual and necessary expenditures for travel and subsistence for attendance at a convention or other meeting at which such public officer, member of the general assembly, local government official, or employee is scheduled to participate;
(e) Reimbursement for or acceptance of an opportunity to participate in a social function or meeting which is offered to such public officer, member of the general assembly, local government official, or employee which is not extraordinary when viewed in light of the position held by such public officer, member of the general assembly, local government official, or employee;
(f) Items of perishable or nonpermanent value, including, but not limited to, meals, lodging, travel expenses, or tickets to sporting, recreational, educational, or cultural events;
(g) Payment for speeches, appearances, or publications reported pursuant to section 24-6-203;
(h) Payment of salary from employment, including other government employment, in addition to that earned from being a member of the general assembly or by reason of service in other public office.
(4) The provisions of this section are distinct from and in addition to the reporting requirements of section 1-45-108, C.R.S., and section 24-6-203, and do not relieve an incumbent in or elected candidate to public office from reporting an item described in subsection (3) of this section, if such reporting provisions apply.
elphaba 6 years, 3 months ago
There is much more to the Brenner and "free gifts" story but very few people in the community have the courage to stand up and disclose. "Leave me out of this - I'll get hurt" is the common phrase and the common feeling. So it is in totalitarian societies. The tactics have been brutal and very public when it serves Brenner's purpose. Mr. Brenner has an amazing ability to unblinkingly tell a lie in public. Should make him a candidate for higher office and out of here!
marathon 6 years, 3 months ago
I am a registered democrat who just voted for Ken to be our chairman. I am disgusted with his arrogance and refusal to see the significance of his ways. He will surely call upon all of us to write letters of support to the Steamboat Pilot rahter than humbly apologize. You can bet there will be plenty of those asked for letters. Thank you to those of you who are bringing Ken's ways to the public - its long overdue and I am sorry that I went along with everyone and voted for him - not again.
WZ4EVER 6 years, 3 months ago
I think it is ironic that the newly elected chair of the Dem's is using classic Nixonian tactics to keep his council seat....lying, denial, blaming someone else,...and with Towny acting as his Spiro Agnew, claiming a witch hunt. Who will come forth as Deep Throat? Dellinger as Howard Hunt?
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