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Coroner appointment sparks heated exchanges as Pueblo County commissioners face transparency questions
Summary
Public commenters and commissioners clashed at a Sept. 18 special meeting after the board appointed an interim coroner; critics asked for an investigation and some commissioners accused a colleague of misrepresenting how they voted.
Public comment and an acrimonious exchange among commissioners dominated a Pueblo County special meeting on Sept. 18 after the board moved forward with an interim coroner appointment.
Several residents urged the commissioners to reconsider the appointment and sought greater transparency in the process. Dave DeCenzo told the board the selection “was slapdash,” saying “the verbal vote on record did not match the SurveyMonkey results” and asking for a revote or an investigation. Later in the meeting one commissioner repeatedly accused a colleague of misleading the board and the public, saying, “you lied,” language that the accused commissioner strongly rejected.
The dispute centered on how commissioners cast and disclosed rankings during Tuesday’s selection process. One commissioner said the publicly announced totals were inconsistent with individual rankings and asked colleagues to disclose their lists. The accused commissioner said she had voted for the appointed candidate and defended the deliberation, saying the ranking tool and process complicated how votes were recorded and that she had offered a voice vote as an alternative.
Beyond procedural complaints, residents and at least one commissioner raised substantive concerns about the appointee’s ability to treat the role as a full-time responsibility. A commissioner said the office carries a $130,000 salary and questioned whether an appointee who indicated the job would not be their full-time priority could fulfill the duties; the commissioner framed that as a trust and public-accountability issue. Supporters in the audience argued the chosen candidate is qualified and urged the board to focus on the families affected by recent coroner-related matters.
County Attorney Cynthia Mitchell told the board that the next formal step is receipt of a background clearance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Once that clearance is in the clerk and recorder’s hands the board will schedule a meeting to adopt a resolution appointing the candidate and arrange for a qualified official to swear the appointee into office.
The board did not reverse the interim selection during the meeting. Commissioners and the chair repeatedly urged civility, saying the public deserves a professional board and reminding attendees there will be an election next year in which voters can make a long-term choice.
The board noted the matter remains subject to the CBI background check and formal swearing-in; the county scheduled its next regular BOCC meeting for Sept. 23.
