LovelandPolitics
| Loveland's Independent News Source |
Loveland, December 13, 2016
In March of 2015 LovelandPolitics reported that Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez was secretly
conducting city business using his private email account. When confronted with evidence last
Tuesday in public by a colleague again, Gutierrez acknowledged he does use his private email to
conduct city business claiming it is "very little."
As before in 2015, Mayor Gutierrez was asked to release all the city business related emails in
his personal account but limited disclosure only to those related to the matter already exposed to
the public already.
In order to comply with the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), the City of Loveland requires all
elected officials to conduct official city business over their city email accounts that are made
available to the press and inquiring public on the city's website. When LovelandPolitics first
reported city employees had been instructed by Mayor Gutierrez to use his private email to
discuss sensitive city business he denied the accusations releasing only a handful of emails the
contents of which were already reported via third party recipients.
Departing Councilman Drops a Bomb SEE VIDEO
Departing Councilman Hugh McKean, who was elected to the Colorado State House last
November, confronted Mayor Gutierrez in public last Tuesday during his final council meeting
with evidence of secret decisions and use of private email to conduct city business. In addition,
McKean read from an email by commercial real estate broker Bob Hau describing two important
decisions, determining the next Chairman of the joint airport commission between Loveland and
Ft. Collins along with a decision to begin work forming a new taxing for the airport operations
costs.
McKean read the following email out-loud he received from Hau;
From: Robert Hau <robert.hau@svn.com> Tue 10/18/2016 8:39 AM
To: Ward III - Hugh McKean <Hugh.McKean@cityofloveland.org>;
Good morning Hugh.
Nice article. Met with Wade and Cecil last Weds. privately. For your ears only. I got
agreement for Wade to take over Chairmanship.
Both agreed to form an Authority with a taxing district. See you Thursday.
Bob
McKean explained that he spoke with Bob Hau, who is not an official member of the Northern
Colorado Regional Airport Commission and was troubled by what Hau stated. According to
McKean, he explained to Hau that his email revealed not only a private meeting between the two
mayors but decisions regarding future governmental actions of the airport commission they both
serve on together made in secret. According to McKean, Hau responded,
"Oh dear, Cecil is so clear with me that I am supposed to use his private email."
Curiously, Hau is listed as a commercial real estate broker working for The Group Inc. The
founder of The Group Inc., Larry Kendall is close to principles of McWhinney, Centerra
developer, who named Kendall Parkway in honor of their friend Larry Kendall.
According to one member of the Northern Colorado Regional Airport Commission who asked not
to be identified, Hau presents himself as a "former CIA agent" now working for a real estate
advisory company Sperry Van Ness. This commissioner was not aware of Hau's affiliation with
The Group Inc. and Larry Kendall whose company represents various private land owners along
I-25 near the Ft. Collins-Loveland Airport.
The entire episode raises important questions of how The Group Inc. can broker meetings
between the mayors of Ft. Collins and Loveland even reporting that one will become chairman
while a decision was made to form a taxing district - all outside public view or even the knowledge
of the other airport commission members.
As a result of his election to the Colorado State House, Loveland City Councilman Hugh McKean
will be stepping down from Loveland's City Council while also leaving his position on the joint Ft.
Collins-Loveland airport commission. Loveland's City Council will be making a new appointment
to the commission while it appears Mayors Troxell and Gutierrez have already decided who
should be the next chairman.
In March of 2015 LovelandPolitics reported that Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez was secretly
conducting city business using his private email account. When confronted with evidence last
Tuesday in public by a colleague again, Gutierrez acknowledged he does use his private email to
conduct city business claiming it is "very little."
As before in 2015, Mayor Gutierrez was asked to release all the city business related emails in
his personal account but limited disclosure only to those related to the matter already exposed to
the public already.
In order to comply with the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), the City of Loveland requires all
elected officials to conduct official city business over their city email accounts that are made
available to the press and inquiring public on the city's website. When LovelandPolitics first
reported city employees had been instructed by Mayor Gutierrez to use his private email to
discuss sensitive city business he denied the accusations releasing only a handful of emails the
contents of which were already reported via third party recipients.
Departing Councilman Drops a Bomb SEE VIDEO
Departing Councilman Hugh McKean, who was elected to the Colorado State House last
November, confronted Mayor Gutierrez in public last Tuesday during his final council meeting
with evidence of secret decisions and use of private email to conduct city business. In addition,
McKean read from an email by commercial real estate broker Bob Hau describing two important
decisions, determining the next Chairman of the joint airport commission between Loveland and
Ft. Collins along with a decision to begin work forming a new taxing for the airport operations
costs.
McKean read the following email out-loud he received from Hau;
From: Robert Hau <robert.hau@svn.com> Tue 10/18/2016 8:39 AM
To: Ward III - Hugh McKean <Hugh.McKean@cityofloveland.org>;
Good morning Hugh.
Nice article. Met with Wade and Cecil last Weds. privately. For your ears only. I got
agreement for Wade to take over Chairmanship.
Both agreed to form an Authority with a taxing district. See you Thursday.
Bob
McKean explained that he spoke with Bob Hau, who is not an official member of the Northern
Colorado Regional Airport Commission and was troubled by what Hau stated. According to
McKean, he explained to Hau that his email revealed not only a private meeting between the two
mayors but decisions regarding future governmental actions of the airport commission they both
serve on together made in secret. According to McKean, Hau responded,
"Oh dear, Cecil is so clear with me that I am supposed to use his private email."
Curiously, Hau is listed as a commercial real estate broker working for The Group Inc. The
founder of The Group Inc., Larry Kendall is close to principles of McWhinney, Centerra
developer, who named Kendall Parkway in honor of their friend Larry Kendall.
According to one member of the Northern Colorado Regional Airport Commission who asked not
to be identified, Hau presents himself as a "former CIA agent" now working for a real estate
advisory company Sperry Van Ness. This commissioner was not aware of Hau's affiliation with
The Group Inc. and Larry Kendall whose company represents various private land owners along
I-25 near the Ft. Collins-Loveland Airport.
The entire episode raises important questions of how The Group Inc. can broker meetings
between the mayors of Ft. Collins and Loveland even reporting that one will become chairman
while a decision was made to form a taxing district - all outside public view or even the knowledge
of the other airport commission members.
As a result of his election to the Colorado State House, Loveland City Councilman Hugh McKean
will be stepping down from Loveland's City Council while also leaving his position on the joint Ft.
Collins-Loveland airport commission. Loveland's City Council will be making a new appointment
to the commission while it appears Mayors Troxell and Gutierrez have already decided who
should be the next chairman.
| CecilGate: Loveland Mayor Admits To Breaking Colorado's Open Records Act (CORA) |
| City of Loveland Website Information Regarding Correspondence with Public Officials The City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month for regular meetings at 6:00 p.m. and the second Tuesday of each month for a study session at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 500 E. Third Street. Please read the following before contacting members of Council or the City Manager: All correspondence is public information and will be treated accordingly. You can e-mail all City Council members at once by using: ccouncil@cityofloveland.org Under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) all emails to and from City Council are subject to public disclosure, with limited exceptions. To promote transparency, emails are available for review in the City Clerk’s Office. Emails which contain “#private#” in the subject line of the email will not be automatically placed in the public file, however, the City of Loveland can't guarantee that email to or from Council marked "#private#" will remain private under CORA To contact the City Council member representing your ward, use the "Find Address" option on the LOGIC System - Online website to enter your address, and then click the "Create Report" button. This website will also help you find things such as your zoning, subdivision plat, trash collection day and many other items of interest. |
| Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez |