Bayfield Mayor Pro Tem Alexis Hartz faced calls for her resignation last week from about 50 residents on the grounds of an alleged improper election process and that her presence on town board has had a negative impact on the town’s governance structure, among other grievances.
When reached for comment about the letter calling for her resignation, which included signatures dating between Nov. 2 and Nov. 19, Hartz told The Durango Herald to refer back to what was said during a Nov. 19 town board meeting and declined further comment. Hartz did not directly address calls for her resignation during the meeting.
The letter does not go into specifics about why aggrieved residents believe Hartz’s position on the board is “not based on a proper election process.” It goes on to express concern over Hartz’s “competency and advocacy for the whole town, and the town’s future.”
Board trustee Kat Katsos asked about the legality of responding to the letter, and town attorney Michael Goldman advised against doing so.
Mayor Tom Au told the Herald that the allegations in the letter don’t hold any water and has “no legal precedence,” also noting that Hartz was not elected to her seat.
“Nobody else ran against her, so she was appointed because she volunteered,” he said.
Multiple people spoke in support of Hartz.
One woman read parts of the letter, saying the claim that Hartz’s appointment was not “based on proper election process” is a “baseless statement” and that her appointment was merely the result of there being an opening, similar to when Lori Zazzaro was tapped to serve as an interim board trustee after Cash Snooks resigned.
The woman told the board that the claim Hartz’s appointment is causing concerns over the legitimacy and integrity of the town’s governing structure is just “generalities” without specific examples to support such a claim. She also told the board that alleged concerns over Hartz’s competency and the town’s future are just “empty words.” She said an allegation that Hartz comes to meetings unprepared and subsequently causes “delays in important and timely decisions” was not true, adding that Hartz is “very thorough” in her role and doesn’t “comply to intimidation.”
One man told the board that Hartz has integrity and that the issues the town board has dealt with in recent months can be hashed out by “responsible people,” adding that the letter calling for Hartz’s resignation was “unruly.” One woman told the board that the letter calling for Hartz’s resignation lacks compassion.
Another woman told the board there’s been “way too much conflict,” and that people need to move past it.
Au said the letter isn’t something he’d want the board as a whole to discuss because 50 people don’t represent the entire town.
“The board’s not going to sit there and make judgment based on a letter from 50 people. I mean, we have elections. They mean things,” he said, adding it’s not the board’s role to decide who’s allowed to serve on it “unless somebody’s doing something illegal.”
The town has seen multiple people resign in recent months.
Town Manager Katie Sickles announced her resignation on Oct. 1 following calls for her termination back in August for allegedly not acting in the “best interest of the majority of the board” and allegedly being “unwilling to do so.” An interim candidate has yet to be named.
Just four days before Sickles’ resignation, Snooks announced his resignation so he can spend more time with family.
Community Development Director Nicol Killian put in her resignation letter Aug. 7, the day after Sickles’ position came into question.
mhollinshead@durangoherald.com
