Mayor asks trustees to override town administrator’s management of Cedaredge staff

Collins would note after the meeting that Udd’s request was unexpected at that meeting and had not been brought up beforehand. The other trustees on the board also indicated that they had not foreseen Udd’s request that evening.

The pond Udd referred to is a town-owned pond on Northwest Fourth Street. It’s filled by the town’s share of Cook Ditch, and according to Collins, the town’s entire share of that water is utilized for the golf course, which is why golf course staff maintenance staff has historically managed it.

Udd asked that the board of trustees reassign the management of the Northwest Fourth Street pond to the public works department.

At that proposal, Collins replied that management of town staff was under her control, not the board’s.

“Your charter and your code give full staffing authority to the town administrator,” Collins said. “While I hear the board’s concern, and I do hear it and I will engage in that conversation, I’m here to tell you that public works is just as overwhelmed…”

“The board has the authority to direct you to assign that responsibility to public works,” Udd interrupted. “I am asking the board to do that.”

Collins said that public works is fully at capacity, while Jeschke has trained two employees and worked the management of Cook Ditch into their schedules.

“(Jeschke) feels fully capable and comfortable with him and his two staff handling the ditch issues to monitor that,” Collins said, adding that Public Works Director Jerry Young and another public works staff member are stepping in when extra help is needed. Due to the public works department being at capacity for working hours, Collins insisted that the transfer of duties was not the right course of action.

“All right, we hear you,” Udd said. “Board, I’m asking for your consensus.”

Udd asked each member of the board individually of their stance on the matter.

Trustees Tim Hawbaker, Mick Murray and Kathy Hirschboeck said they would not want to give an opinion until they’d heard from Young.

Trustee Tracy Gist said no. “I don’t feel like public works has enough time…,” she said, but Udd cut her off to ask Trustee Jim Atkinson’s opinion.

Atkinson said he, too, would support transferring the Cook Ditch duties to public works. He said he’d thought the board had already had the discussion and had agreed to put it under public works. No one else said they recalled such an agreement taking place.

Lastly, Trustee Greg Hart opposed the idea, stating that he felt it was micromanagement. “This is not governance, it shouldn’t be a…,” Hart said.

“I understand,” Udd interrupted. He said an agenda item would be set at a future meeting for the board to make a decision. No comment was given on whether Young would be asked to speak on the matter as requested by Hawbaker, Murray and Hirschboeck.

Collins told Hart that she appreciated his statement. She stated that she is managing her staff and she believes the concerns the community and the board has had are being addressed. She reiterated that Jeschke is learning the system but is comfortable with managing his responsibilities.

Collins asked Udd what the agenda item would be, maintaining that the town charter and code did not give the board power to manage town staff. 

“I’m concerned about putting an action item,” Collins said. “What’s the action item going to be? What if Jerry says…?” Udd interrupted her.

“I set the agenda,” Udd said. “That’s it. We’re going on now.”

Collins attempted to clarify what the agenda item would propose but Udd insisted that the discussion was over, and the board moved on to following agenda items.

After the meeting, Collins responded to inquiries on the town charter, noting that Cedaredge has a council-manager form of government.

“In that form of government, the board oversteps its bounds when they direct any other staff other than the administrator,” Collins said. In terms of staffing resources, she said Udd’s request could be done, but it would be at a sacrifice to other amenities.

“If they do what Richard is asking, some other public works function will have to stop,” Collins said.

The board made no decision that evening, but according to Udd, an action item to reassign the management of Cook Ditch and the pond to public works will be on a future agenda. Collins said she still doesn’t know what that action item will be.