The Colorado Independent Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Nov. 19, deeming complaint 24-16 against Commissioner Veronica Medina as nonfrivolous.
The complaint was originally filed on June 17 by Ashley Springer.
The complaint was filed using personal contact information. Springer also works as the county’s communications specialist.
According to the complaint filed, Springer claims that on June 6, she filed a petition to recall Medina. That recall eventually was dropped in September.
Springer’s complaint also states that Medina failed to recuse herself during county property purchase and land use regulation votes, “patterning a conflict of interest.”
Examples included in Springer’s complaint note that Medina failed to disclose during the BoCC meetings held on May 21 and June 4.
The complaint further claims that during the May 21 meeting, Medina failed to disclose potential conflict of interest during a presentation by Exit Realty Broker Shelley Low, and that during the June 4 meeting, Medina failed to disclose to the state potential conflict of interest and failure to recuse when voting on property selection for the county’s administration building property listed under Exit Realty’s Low, “where Medina’s license hangs.”
The complaint further alleges that, at the June 4 meeting, Medina requested that the commissioners make a “swift” decision regarding the purchase of the property.
“Her pushiness in moving the motion forward, and her vote in favor of the property listed by Low, would lead one to believe she is using an act of persuasion on her fellow commissioners in this matter,” the complaint states. “It is worth noting, it is rumored Medina will benefit financially by making 1% of the sale of this property. Medina violated the following Colorado State Statutes and Ethical Codes, when she did not recuse herself from this vote, nor did she properly disclose a potential conflict of interest to the state.”
Springer claims in her complaint that Medina violated Colorado Revised Statute (CRS) 24-18-109, failure to recuse; CRS 18-8-303 failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest to the state body; and Principle of Ethics III, rules of ethics B.
Springer writes in her complaint that she has witnessed “many other violations” by Medina, along with Commissioner Ronnie Maez, “regularly breaking Colorado Open Meeting Law.”
Additionally, Springer writes, “Due to being a licensed real estate agent with the brokerage making the approximately $5 million deal a reality, I believe she grossly violated state law and used her position irresponsibly and recklessly. Medina has broken the trust of more than just me, but the community as a whole, by showing her personal agenda comes first, not the county taxpayer’s opinion.”
Dec. 17 meeting
The agenda for the regular BoCC meeting held on Dec. 17 included three matters under old business that involved two letters of intent for two properties and a consideration of a purchase and sales agreement with Arena Labs for land located at X West U.S. 160 — the property being represented by Low and Exit Realty.
Medina stated at the beginning of the Dec. 17 meeting that she would not be voting on the purchase and sales agreement matter.
“I would like to state that after a lot of consideration, I have chosen not to vote on the new business item … purchase of property for the county building,” Medina said, “I’ll be a no-vote.”
She added, “I’m not recusing myself, I’m not stating there’s a conflict, I just have chosen not to vote on the item.”
Medina did not vote on items C, D or E under the old business portion of the agenda. See related article for additional information.
In a later interview, when asked to explain why she did not vote on the items, Medina reiterated that, after consideration, she has chosen not to vote on the land.
“What I can say to that is that I have retained counsel and we will be responding in due course,” Medina said.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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