Colorado Ethics Watch has filed requests under the Colorado Open Records Act (“CORA”) regarding reported secret meetings involving State Senator Tom Wiens and members of the Board of County Commissioners of Lake County.

According to recent reports, certain Lake County Commissioners met behind the scenes with Sen. Wiens regarding plans for the commissioners to declare the build-up of underground water at the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel a “disaster emergency.” Four days before the official emergency declaration, Sen. Wiens launched a website, www.savethearkansasriver.org, to emphasize his own role in calling attention to the mine situation.

Ethics Watch filed the CORA requests to determine whether the Lake County Commissioners violated the Colorado Open Meetings Act by conducting public business in private meetings with Sen. Wiens and to learn whether and to what extent the commissioners and Sen. Wiens planned to use the disaster declaration for political purposes.