Episode Details

Story by Hank Lacey

“Sunshine Laws are safeguards that the public’s businesses must be conducted openly and not in secret. Elected officials have to guard against secrecy.”

The Estes Valley Voice has sued the Estes Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors, alleging that the board breached Colorado’s Sunshine Laws by selecting a new fire chief in a private meeting.

At the heart of the lawsuit is the Voice’s claim that the board’s decision to hire Fire Chief Paul Capo was made in a closed session, violating Colorado’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Law – laws designed to ensure government transparency and accountability. The Voice filed the lawsuit in Larimer County District Court to enforce open-government practices in the EVFPD’s decision-making.

The EVFPD, a special district under Colorado law, provides fire protection and emergency services to Estes Park and surrounding unincorporated areas. Governed by a board responsible for significant policy decisions, including the selection of a fire chief, the EVFPD relies on local taxes for its funding. The Estes Valley Voice claims the board breached both CORA and COML by finalizing Capo’s hiring in an executive session on Oct. 9 without public involvement.

“This isn’t about who was chosen,” explained Patti Brown, editor and publisher of the Voice. “The Estes Valley Voice believes the public’s business needs to be done in public. That’s why we have the Colorado Open Records Act, to protect the public’s business.”

Read full story here:

https://estesvalleyvoice.com/2024/11/05/estes-valley-voice-sues-evfpd-district-over-alleged-breach-of-colorado-sunshine-laws/