Pueblo County commissioners move into executive session to seek legal advice on coroner vacancy, regional IGA and CPA contract

Pueblo County Attorney Cindy Mitchell asked the Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners at a Sept. 2 work session to enter an executive session to receive legal advice under Colorado law and to discuss negotiation strategy for several county matters. "I'm requesting an executive session with the board this morning for the purpose of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions under CRS section 24 6 4 2 4 b and specific legal issues regarding the BOCC's authority regarding the coroner vacancy and appointment process, the coroner's office investigation and operations transition of the regional building department pursuant to the IGA with the city and potential amendment to the regional building department IGA and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and or instructing negotiators under section 24 6 4 2 4 e regarding a contract with a certified public accountant firm," Mitchell said.

The request cited Colorado Revised Statutes provisions that allow a public body to meet in private for the limited purposes of receiving legal advice and for developing negotiation strategy. Mitchell identified four subjects for the closed meeting: (1) the county's authority related to a coroner vacancy and appointment process, (2) an investigation involving the coroner's office, (3) the operational transition of the regional building department and a possible amendment to the county's intergovernmental agreement with the city, and (4) negotiating strategy and instructions to negotiators concerning a contract with a certified public accountant firm.

After Mitchell's statement, a motion to move into executive session was made and seconded on the record. When the presiding speaker called for the vote, Mitchell and the presiding speaker each said "Aye" and the presiding speaker announced, "We're in executive session." The motion was therefore approved on the record and the board proceeded into a closed session. The motion, mover and seconder were stated on the record but not attributed to a named commissioner in the transcript.

The meeting record on the public transcript does not include further details about the coroner vacancy, the coroner's office investigation, the proposed IGA amendment, or the CPA contract; those matters were moved into closed session for legal advice and negotiation strategy. The board did not announce a public timeline for any subsequent action when the session began.