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Elbert County Residents Lack Standing To Hold Commissioners Personally Liable for Alleged Open Meetings Violations, Judge Says

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  • Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition

    The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition is a nonpartisan alliance of groups, news organizations and individuals dedicated to ensuring the transparency of state and local governments in Colorado by promoting freedom of the press, open courts and open access to government records and meetings.

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A judge this week tossed out one claim from a lawsuit that was aimed at holding Elbert County commissioners personally liable for approving new contracts for the county administrator and county attorney outside of public view.

The dismissal for lack of standing, ordered by Elbert County District Court Judge Theresa Slade, doesn’t affect other civil claims made by five county residents against Commissioners Chris Richardson, Dallas Schroeder and Grant Thayer for allegedly violating the Colorado Open Meetings Law.

The residents’ lawsuit, filed in September, says the commissioners should have approved the contract extensions in a properly noticed open meeting, which didn’t occur until residents objected to the raises during a town hall meeting.