Councilwoman's comments at meeting under scrutiny

The Oct. 8 Lakewood City Council meeting devolved into a firestorm of criticisms and defenses during the public comment session and the City Council's response time, but one councilor's comments in particular drew attention from Colorado Ethics Watch.

The organization, which focuses on identifying and deterring unethical conduct in Colorado government, filed a complaint with Colorado Secretary of State Mike Hoffman's office on Oct. 30 regarding Councilwoman Cheryl Wise's comments about the election.

During the regular meeting — broadcast on KTLV Channel 8 and available on the City of Lakewood's Web site — Wise spoke about the first time she met Ward 1 candidate Karen Kellen.

"We should have filmed her and put her on an advertisement for Lakewood because the list was so long about what's right," Wise said. "If you have a candidate out there who is personally attacking any of our city staff, any of these city councilors, that's the kind of representation you're going to get up here, and I don't want somebody like that.

"If they are incapable of looking at the issues and can only talk about the personality behind it, then they don't deserve my vote, and they don't deserve my representation."

Chantell Taylor, director of Ethics Watch, said the group received a tip on its hotline regarding the incident.

The group researched the video, Colorado precedents and the circumstances of the comments for about a week and decided it warranted a complaint, Taylor said.

"It was using the city's resources and staff time," Taylor said. "It was an official meeting during which Cheryl Wise used public time to endorse the candidate of her choice."

Wise did not mention Ward 1 candidate Charley Able by name during the meeting. Before her comments regarding Kellen, Wise said one of the people who were running to replace her in City Council had said members of city boards and commissions are handpicked.

She said they were not, and at the end of her comments, she asked residents to question their candidates.

"I am absolutely appalled at the lies that I hear that people are saying walking up and down and putting forth from some of those candidates who are out there," Wise said.

Taylor said Wise's praise of Kellen made it clear her negative comments were directed at the only other candidate for the Ward 1 seat.

Able, who was not at the meeting, said he made note of Wise's comments to many people, including Ethics Watch. He has requested the city remove her comments from its Web site and the KTLV8 re-broadcasts of the meeting.

"She can't speak against a candidate, nor can she promote a candidate, using city's resources," he said. "My reaction is that Ms. Wise committed a blatant, intentional and rotten breach of Colorado's Fair Campaign Practices Act."

Wise said Oct. 30 that she had not seen the complaint yet, but she did not violate any campaign ethics.

"I mentioned several people that evening who came to the podium," Wise said. "I did not endorse anybody at that meeting."

Wise did endorse Kellen outside of the meeting and had also donated $100 to her campaign. Kellen said Wise has been a huge help in helping her understand city operations. She said the Ethics Watch complaint did not take in all the information.

"Based upon how they stated it, I think they overstated what was done," Kellen said. "I don't think anything in the statute would prohibit what she said."

The Secretary of State's office will review the complaint to verify if Wise violated the Colorado Constitution or applicable statutes before forwarding the complaint to a judge for a hearing.

The decision is expected to be made by Friday, Nov. 2.