Wellington trustees interview town attorney candidate Carl Conley and signal decision to begin negotiations

Wellington — The Wellington Town Board completed an interview of attorney Carl Conley on March 17 and indicated it would advise staff to begin contract negotiations with Conley's firm, Dietz and Davis, to serve as town attorney.

Mayor Pro Tem Brian Mason opened the work session and said the board had directed staff earlier to accept applications for town attorney candidates. Conley described a long municipal practice focused on water law and planning and zoning and said he has represented both statutory and home-rule clients across Colorado, emphasizing a collaborative relationship with staff and trustees.

"I see your town attorney as obviously an advocate for the town, but also a member of your team," Conley said, describing a practice of preparing short memos for trustees, staying current on case law and statutes, and holding regular check-ins with staff he called "Tuesdays with Carl." He also highlighted experience negotiating subdivision improvement agreements, multi-party intergovernmental agreements and water-court litigation support.

Trustees questioned Conley across topics the town flagged in its request for qualifications: land use and PUDs, quasi-judicial hearing procedures, drafting defensible ordinances and intergovernmental agreements, TABOR implications for elections and revenues, handling CORA requests and records retention, and approaches to personnel and conflict-of-interest guidance. Conley said the firm leans on specialists when needed (for example, for complex TABOR issues or employment law) and emphasized early communication to avoid surprises in meetings.

"CORA is a records statute," Conley said when asked about public-records burdens. "Records are very broadly defined — voicemails, post-it notes, final staff reports — so it's important to have an information system and good retention policies." He recommended using statutorily allowed time extensions for complicated requests only when necessary.

Board members pressed Conley on budget expectations and practical support for staff. Mason noted the town's 2026 admin and legislative legal budget is about $110,000, and trustees said they expected close oversight of billing and concise, accurate materials for meetings. Conley asked the board to specify budget expectations and said his firm would welcome administrator review of invoices.

Toward the meeting's end, Town Administrator Patty Garcia summarized the board's options: enter contract negotiations with the firm, request additional information from the firm, or revise and reissue the RFQ. Mayor Pro Tem Mason said he thought Conley was "highly qualified" and would advise staff to enter negotiations; trustees expressed agreement, producing an informal consensus to proceed. The board did not record a formal motion or roll-call vote at the work session.

Conley closed the interview by noting he would spend time learning Wellington on the ground and offering a final, personal remark: he hosts a Celtic music radio program in Boulder and wished trustees a happy Saint Patrick's Day. Mason adjourned the work session.

Next steps: staff will proceed with negotiations unless the board requests additional information or directs an alternative action at a future public meeting.