El Paso County commissioners move into executive session on property acquisitions and disposition

The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on Jan. 21 to convene an executive session to receive legal advice and discuss negotiations related to real property. The board cited Colorado statutory provisions authorizing executive sessions for legal advice and real property negotiation and then moved into closed session after a roll-call vote.

Lehi Sego, senior assistant county attorney, read the stated purposes on the record: (1) legal advice on processes and requirements for acquiring real property interests pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-6-402(4)(b); (2) discussion of the acquisition of property for the Beacon Light County Line Road capital project, including negotiating positions and strategy pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-6-402(4)(a) and (e); and (3) discussion regarding disposition of property identified by tax schedule number 12000074 and associated negotiation strategy pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-6-404(a) and § 24-6-402(4)(e).

A commissioner moved, “I move we go into executive session for the purposes stated on the record,” the motion was seconded, and the board’s roll-call vote recorded five ayes from Commissioners Brimmer, Weisong, Applegate, Vice Chair Williams and the chair. The transcript shows the board then convened the executive session; no substantive details of negotiations or property terms were disclosed in the public record.

Colorado law allows local public bodies to meet in executive session for the stated purposes; the board provided the statutory citations on the record. The transcript did not record any final decisions or approvals during the public session; subsequent public disclosures, if any, would appear in future meeting minutes or staff reports.