Loveland - September 23, 2015
Tom Hewson, a prominent Thompson Valley High School (TVHS) teacher, is accused of stealing and not
returning signs from school board candidates Bruce Finger and Tomi Grundvig. In one instance, he was
reported to have been replacing the signs he was removing from private property he does not own with
signs for school board candidates Denise Montagu and Pam Howard. According to a volunteer for
Grundvig, the property owner had provided permission to her campaign to post their signs which were
later removed by Hewson and replaced with Montagu and Howard signs.
“I had no idea who he was at first but I thought he was doing illegal stuff” reported Loveland senior
citizen Evelyn King who witnessed Hewson last night moving signs before she pulled-up behind his truck.
Citywide, sign stealing can cost candidates thousands of dollars and many don’t have the funds to print
new signs once posted signs are stolen during the night. However, volunteers sometimes take liberties
with the signs of an opposing campaign if they feel the sign was placed without permission.
This morning, another campaign volunteer for Tomi Grundvig was walking her dog when she witnessed
the same truck, license number 355 KFR, parked in-front of 4165 Lookout Drive in Loveland which
according to Larimer County records belongs to Tracey and Tom Hewson. Tracey Hewson, Tom’s wife, is
employed by the City of Loveland. A picture of the truck with signs from Grundvig’s campaign are to the
right of this story and were provided by a neighbor of the Hewsons who discovered the signs.
The Dick Hewson Aquatic Center at TVHS was named for Tom Hewson’s father who spent 36 years as a
teacher and coach at the same school. Tom replaced his father as the swim coach where he continues to
coach and teach as a senior member of the Thompson Valley’s teaching staff. Tom Hewson is also a
member of the teacher’s union, Thompson Education Association, while his brother Bob runs the popular
Colorado Youth Outdoors non-profit organization in Loveland.
Hewson's Response
Upon further investigation, LovelandPolitics discovered that Hewson, when not teaching, leases three
farms in the area where he irrigates the land and grows various crops which are the areas in dispute.
LovelandPolitics contacted Hewson to get his reaction to the allegations that he was seen replacing signs
from the Tomi Grundvig and Bruce Finger campaigns which were photographed in the back of his truck
the next morning by a neighbor. Hewson replied, “guilty as charged” confirming he indeed removed
campaign signs from the property in question but also provided the following explanation.
“Other educators sent me emails complaining that my farm was being populated with Tea Party
signs.” Hewson explained that he and his wife do not get involved in politics and don’t even have
campaign signs in their own lawn. According to Hewson, after receiving pressure from other teachers he
removed a Bruce Finger sign he said was, “in the power strand on my side of the fence." Hewson said
heunderstands the property owner can display political signs in the easement outside the fence but
complained it was leaving the wrong impression as his co-workers were concerned people might think
Hewson was endorsing non-union candidates he described as "Reformers" and "Tea Partyers."
Hewson commented, “It looks like I am supporting them – we don’t even have signs in our front yard.”
Hewson also explained he posted signs for Montagu and Howard on the hay bales in reaction to the
complaints to show he is loyal to the “right” candidates. Hewson also confirmed he has not yet spoken
with the property owner from where he removed the signs but added someone removed the Montagu
and Howard signs from his hay bales. He acknowledged the property owner would certainly be allowed
to enter the field area he leased to remove those signs but not anyone else. LovelandPolitics was unable
to confirm whether the owner or an opposing campaign removed the Montagu and Howard signs.
According to Hewson, the issue is the location of the signs and his interpretation of where they can be on
the property. Hewson said he took a picture of the offending Bruce Finger sign before removing it. We
have requested a copy of that picture, which he agreed to provide, and will be posted into this story when
received.
Evelyn King, when contacted again, responded that Hewson could have left the signs on the ground but
once he removed them from the property to an undisclosed location he was in essence stealing the
property of the non-union candidates whose signs were legally placed with the owner's permission. King
also commented that describing the non-TEA backed candidates as "Tea Party" or "Reformers" is a lie
intended to smear any candidate not pre-approved by the teacher's union to run for the Thompson
Board of Education.
Tom Hewson, a prominent Thompson Valley High School (TVHS) teacher, is accused of stealing and not
returning signs from school board candidates Bruce Finger and Tomi Grundvig. In one instance, he was
reported to have been replacing the signs he was removing from private property he does not own with
signs for school board candidates Denise Montagu and Pam Howard. According to a volunteer for
Grundvig, the property owner had provided permission to her campaign to post their signs which were
later removed by Hewson and replaced with Montagu and Howard signs.
“I had no idea who he was at first but I thought he was doing illegal stuff” reported Loveland senior
citizen Evelyn King who witnessed Hewson last night moving signs before she pulled-up behind his truck.
Citywide, sign stealing can cost candidates thousands of dollars and many don’t have the funds to print
new signs once posted signs are stolen during the night. However, volunteers sometimes take liberties
with the signs of an opposing campaign if they feel the sign was placed without permission.
This morning, another campaign volunteer for Tomi Grundvig was walking her dog when she witnessed
the same truck, license number 355 KFR, parked in-front of 4165 Lookout Drive in Loveland which
according to Larimer County records belongs to Tracey and Tom Hewson. Tracey Hewson, Tom’s wife, is
employed by the City of Loveland. A picture of the truck with signs from Grundvig’s campaign are to the
right of this story and were provided by a neighbor of the Hewsons who discovered the signs.
The Dick Hewson Aquatic Center at TVHS was named for Tom Hewson’s father who spent 36 years as a
teacher and coach at the same school. Tom replaced his father as the swim coach where he continues to
coach and teach as a senior member of the Thompson Valley’s teaching staff. Tom Hewson is also a
member of the teacher’s union, Thompson Education Association, while his brother Bob runs the popular
Colorado Youth Outdoors non-profit organization in Loveland.
Hewson's Response
Upon further investigation, LovelandPolitics discovered that Hewson, when not teaching, leases three
farms in the area where he irrigates the land and grows various crops which are the areas in dispute.
LovelandPolitics contacted Hewson to get his reaction to the allegations that he was seen replacing signs
from the Tomi Grundvig and Bruce Finger campaigns which were photographed in the back of his truck
the next morning by a neighbor. Hewson replied, “guilty as charged” confirming he indeed removed
campaign signs from the property in question but also provided the following explanation.
“Other educators sent me emails complaining that my farm was being populated with Tea Party
signs.” Hewson explained that he and his wife do not get involved in politics and don’t even have
campaign signs in their own lawn. According to Hewson, after receiving pressure from other teachers he
removed a Bruce Finger sign he said was, “in the power strand on my side of the fence." Hewson said
heunderstands the property owner can display political signs in the easement outside the fence but
complained it was leaving the wrong impression as his co-workers were concerned people might think
Hewson was endorsing non-union candidates he described as "Reformers" and "Tea Partyers."
Hewson commented, “It looks like I am supporting them – we don’t even have signs in our front yard.”
Hewson also explained he posted signs for Montagu and Howard on the hay bales in reaction to the
complaints to show he is loyal to the “right” candidates. Hewson also confirmed he has not yet spoken
with the property owner from where he removed the signs but added someone removed the Montagu
and Howard signs from his hay bales. He acknowledged the property owner would certainly be allowed
to enter the field area he leased to remove those signs but not anyone else. LovelandPolitics was unable
to confirm whether the owner or an opposing campaign removed the Montagu and Howard signs.
According to Hewson, the issue is the location of the signs and his interpretation of where they can be on
the property. Hewson said he took a picture of the offending Bruce Finger sign before removing it. We
have requested a copy of that picture, which he agreed to provide, and will be posted into this story when
received.
Evelyn King, when contacted again, responded that Hewson could have left the signs on the ground but
once he removed them from the property to an undisclosed location he was in essence stealing the
property of the non-union candidates whose signs were legally placed with the owner's permission. King
also commented that describing the non-TEA backed candidates as "Tea Party" or "Reformers" is a lie
intended to smear any candidate not pre-approved by the teacher's union to run for the Thompson
Board of Education.
| LovelandPolitics.com |
| TVHS Teacher Accused of Swiping Campaign Signs |
| Picture of the teacher's pick-up in front of his house with campaign signs from an opposing campaign. According to the campaign, they were "stolen" from private property where the owner provided permission |
| Tom Hewson's truck in front of his house where the missing signs were located by a neighbor |
| Tom Hewson's truck license plate picture |
| Tom Hewson, as seen in a 9News special in 2010 for an award he received as an outstanding teacher |