Position declared vacant

Ghost City Council meeting shows tumult in Federal Heights

FEDERAL HEIGHTS» Government dysfunction went on full display Monday — a lone mayor sat at an imposing dais with half a dozen empty chairs around him.

An invocation was made, followed by the pledge of allegiance. Then, from the corner of the room, the city clerk declared a lack of quorum to go on — six of seven City Council members were missing.

“I have no choice but to adjourn the meeting,” Federal Heights Mayor Daniel Dick said, gaveling proceedings to a close.

The lights went out and people headed for the doors. Total time elapsed for Monday’s Federal Heights City Council meeting: fewer than 5 minutes.

Monday’s surreal proceeding in this gritty city of 12,500 sandwiched between Westminster and Thornton was the culmination of months of recriminations, bad blood and small-town politics laid bare — and a determination by the city attorney last week that the “Office of Mayor is vacant.”

According to the city attorney’s letter, Dick had been relieved of his duties a mere five weeks before he would have stepped down anyway next month, ending a six-year stint on Federal Heights City Council (four as mayor). The city claimed that the sharp-dressed, outspoken 84-year-old had moved out of Federal Heights at the end of October, thus triggering the city charter’s prohibition against holding the office as a non-resident.

But Dick says he didn’t go anywhere. He moved some belongings down to Cañon City, where he and his wife will next call home, but he said he’s still paying rent to live in a Federal Heights mobile home park. Thus, he says, he’s still a city resident.

“Therefore, I am the mayor of Federal Heights and intend to take my seat at the dais,” Dick told The Denver Post a few hours before the meeting. “I’m the only elected mayor.”

But whether he’s still legally in charge of the city for the next month is unclear, if the city attorney’s letter to Dick last week declaring his post vacant is to be believed. Also unclear is whether any of Dick’s colleagues will ever attend another meeting with him before he turns in his gavel Dec. 3.

The Denver Post reached out by phone or email to all six council members who boycotted Monday’s meeting but heard nothing back except a “no comment” from Councilwoman Doris Peterson.

“The City Council cares nothing for the rule of law or city charter — they would rather be vindictive in their approach to governance,” said Raiff Bridges, a friend of the mayor who has been watching the tumult at city hall for years. “They want their pound of flesh.”

But Tom Ziegelbauer, who is running for mayor on Tuesday’s ballot under the moniker Batman4Mayor, said there’s blame to go around.

He has lived in the city for eight years and has seen legal action taken by a council member against the city, verbal fireworks at council meetings and lots of backbiting and accusations.

“It’s the public perception that the city and City Council is dysfunctional because of infighting,” Ziegelbauer said. “This city needs to have a united front.”

Dick himself was the target of an unsuccessful recall election in early 2017, after a group of residents circulated petitions to oust him and another councilman based primarily on their support for a 2013 city rental inspection program that many residents said was invasive and unfair.

Dick, who has been critical of his colleagues on council for not working hard enough or showing up to public events, admits they may not have taken kindly to his critique. He also thinks there’s resentment because he’s expressed support for council members’ political opponents in Tuesday’s election.

“They’re getting paid for warming a chair,” he said Monday, still not pulling any punches.

Dick admitted he can be a sharp-tongued and unforgiving when he feels like people aren’t pulling their weight.

“I wish I could have absorbed all the negativity and indifference and lack of participation and just been kind and loving,” Dick said. “When I sign up, I show up.”

Ziegelbauer said everyone needs to take a breath at Federal Heights City Hall and see if they can’t march to the beat of one drummer for a while. There will be at least one new face on council after Tuesday’s election, and possibly more.

If Ziegelbauer becomes mayor in December, he said he has a few simple words of advice to a city in turmoil.

“Why doesn’t somebody do the neighborly thing?” he said. “No more nonsense — let’s get to healing this city.”