Bayfield town board will hold a hearing next month to consider removing a trustee accused of confronting and harassing a resident.
The hearing for Trustee Alexis Hartz is scheduled for Jan. 12. Trustees voted 5-2 to proceed, with Hartz and Mayor Tom Au opposed.
Hartz was accused in December 2024 of confronting and attempting to intimidate resident Lucy Stewart at her home after Stewart signed a letter calling for Hartz’s resignation.
Hartz was cited for criminal harassment, but the case was later diverted – a resolution that drops charges upon successful completion of certain requirements.
Over the past year, some residents and board members have questioned Hartz’s ability to govern.
Trustee Brenna Morlan introduced a motion for a formal removal hearing in July.
A Jan. 12 hearing date was set during a Nov. 18 board meeting after tense deliberations among board members and the town attorney.
Trustee Laura MacLaurin wanted to table the matter and was reluctant to go forward with the hearing.
“This whole thing started over a year ago, and since that time Trustee Hartz has continued to serve on the board as trustee and as mayor pro tem,” she said.
She suggested the board drop the matter.
“I feel that it has turned out to be very much a personal sort of vendetta on certain people’s parts. It’s not looking at the big picture or the best interest of the town,” she said. “ … This goes on and on. It’s a waste of our time, energy and money.”
A town staffer said the town attorney advised the hearing should proceed, as “the appearance of impropriety is a dangerous one.”
Hartz and Au raised concerns about fairness and transparency of the hearing process. They opposed appointing La Plata County Commissioner Matt Salka as the hearing officer.
Other trustees, including Kat Kasos, said they did not perceive any problems with the hearing process, adding the town attorney was working to ensure a fair process.
Stewart and Bayfield Town Manager John Waters did not respond to a request for comment.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
