Broomfield council holds public personnel hearing after censure and water-rate dispute

Broomfield — At a special meeting called to address personnel matters involving the city and county manager, Jennifer Hoffman, the Broomfield City Council heard extended statements from Hoffman and from Councilmember Marsh Holshon, public comment from many residents, and clarifications about open-meeting and records law. The meeting followed a March 25 vote in which the council censured Holshon 5-4 for an email that accused the manager of negligence and sabotage.

Hoffman, identified at the meeting as the employee who requested an open discussion, opened with a defense of her record and a plea for facts. "Your presence matters," she said, and later criticized the repeated public allegations as "formal, damaging charges" made without the evidence she had requested.

Holshon said he stood by two specific claims in the email: that Hoffman "intentionally has acted in a way that undermines council" and that there was "negligence and mismanagement" related to water rates. He cited a sequence of consultant studies and changing rate proposals — including references to a 2022 study calling for roughly 16% increases over six years and later materials showing much larger increases — and criticized the timing and completeness of data provided to council.

Council members who spoke split along familiar lines. Councilmember Ward said the council, as the body that employs the manager, has authority over budgets and criticized the way some projects and studies had been handled, but also said he did not believe Holshon's allegations rose to the level of negligence, sabotage, or mismanagement. Councilmember Wynne, who said she voted against the March 25 censure, called the airing of personnel disputes in public "rushed" and questioned whether the special meeting served the council's or the community's interests. Multiple other council members — including Anderson, Bridal Guedeel, Lim and others — voiced support for Hoffman and emphasized the need for civility, improved communication and adherence to council processes.

Members of the public largely spoke in support of Hoffman. Kathy Ayala said she has known Hoffman for years and praised her "integrity, principles, [and] willingness to answer questions." Other speakers described Hoffman as a steady manager who prioritized fiscal responsibility and urged council to move past the dispute and focus on city priorities.

City Attorney Bruce Rogers told the council that personnel matters may be discussed in closed executive session under Colorado law but noted that if the employee whose performance is at issue requests a public discussion, "there is no executive session" and the discussion must be held in public. Rogers also said the retention period for personnel-related executive-session records is 90 days and described the distinction, for confidentiality purposes, between personnel discussions and attorney-client privileged communications.

No formal vote or personnel action was taken at the special meeting. The item under discussion was framed as an opportunity for Holshon to present the evidence he had referenced publicly; council members and the manager also used the forum to press for better data sharing, clearer internal processes, and improved communication between council and staff. Hoffman said the administration will continue to provide quarterly updates on the enterprise funds and noted an upcoming quarterly enterprise-fund update scheduled for 04/15.

The meeting underscored two continuing lines of concern: council requests for more complete, earlier financial and asset-management data related to water and other enterprise funds; and a broader governance issue about how individual council members should raise personnel concerns internally versus in public. Several council members urged following the chartered processes for executive sessions, oversight and personnel reviews rather than repeating allegations in public fora.

The special meeting concluded with a request from the majority of council members that the body return to a more professional and collaborative tone and an affirmation of confidence in many members' judgment that no immediate personnel removal or other formal personnel action was warranted at that time.