Sangre de Cristo Arts Center CEO resigns amid accusations of falsifying financial records

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- After Pueblo County Commissioners accused him of falsifying financial records, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center CEO Jim Richerson is stepping down from the position.

Friday, 13 Investigates obtained a copy of Richerson's resignation letter. In it, he thanks the staff of the Sangre De Cristo Arts Center.

“My time has come to leave that position and move onto other opportunities," Richerson said in his resignation letter obtained by 13 Investigates. "My thanks to our many donors and stakeholders including those at the Pueblo County and the City of Pueblo, who have nurtured the Arts Center to new heights during my tenure. I will let my eight+ year record speak for itself.”

According to the resignation letter, he officially resigns after May 31, 2022. However, in a second letter sent to the art center board on Thursday, Richerson asks the board to consider bringing him back in a new role.

According to the letter obtained by 13 Investigates, Richerson offers to serve as an advisor for the arts center's CEO and the board. His proposed job would be titled as a project & program specialist reporting to the board and the CEO. Richerson suggests his job would be part time with an annualized salary of $75,000.

The Sangre de Cristo Board of Directors held a special board meeting on Friday to discuss the resignation and how to move forward. The art center board is currently putting together a search committee for a new CEO.

Before Richerson's resignation, Pueblo County Commissioners said they will not financially assist in the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center's future expansion project unless their partnership is repaired.

Pueblo County Commissioner Garrison Ortiz revealed the allegations of falsifying financial reports on February 16 when he read a letter signed off by his fellow county commissioners at a Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Board of Directors meeting. In the letter, the commissioners say their issues aren't with the board but with CEO Jim Richerson.

"It has also been brought to our attention that some of the financial reports provided to Pueblo County were falsified by the CEO to secure more funding from the County," the commissioners wrote in their letter to the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center's Board of Directors.

The letter accuses Richerson of having a lack of gratitude and a sense of entitlement when it comes to funding from the county.

The commissioners say they will not be contributing $10 million towards the Arts Center's capital plan or expansion project until the plan's cost is revisited and the relationship between the Pueblo County Government and the Arts Center is repaired.

At Friday's meeting, the Sangre de Cristo board discussed the formation of another committee to review the plan with a representative from the county government.

“I want to ensure that we are continuing to work forward together to ensure that those plans happen in a financially responsible way for the taxpayer,” Ortiz told 13 Investigates.

13 Investigates asked Ortiz about the accusations that the CEO falsified financial records, but he did not go into specifics. However, the commission chair says he doesn't believe it was criminal in nature.  

“We receive quarterly reports from the Arts Center. It’s our job as stewards of taxpayer money to ensure that we remain on top of how those dollars are spent once they are allocated," Ortiz said when 13 Investigates asked if the alleged actions were ethical. "I think we are just wanting to ensure that all reports going forward are done in a congruent way and certified by the budget and finance director.” 

13 Investigates reached out to both the Tenth Judicial District Attorney's Office and the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office to ask if they have opened investigations in connection these accusations. Both told 13 Investigates, they are not looking into allegations of falsified financial reports out of the art center.

After Ortiz read the letter aloud, the Sangre de Cristo Art Center's meeting minutes from Feb. 16 state, ‘CEO Jim Richerson’s reaction to the letter caused adjournment of the meeting’.

In a statement to 13 Investigates, board member Warren Diodosio said Richerson passed out and an ambulance was called to the Sangre de Cristo Board of Directors meeting.