A Slower Flow of Information For Colo. Springs City Council

Some Colorado Springs City Council members said they do not like the restricted flow of information they are getting from the city, while others are simply calling it growing pains.

It started with a comment on Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko Facebook page. She was expressing her frustrations with not receiving information from the city via e-mail and no longer being allowed to contact city staff directly because of changes made by Mayor Steve Bach.

Council President Scott Hente said he has not had that kind of trouble.

?Now that is me speaking personally, that may be because of personal relationships that I have built with a lot of those people over 9 years,? said Hente.

Councilwoman Brandy Williams said she has had little trouble too, but also said getting information does take longer now that all council members have to communicate through a council/mayor liaison.

?It will take longer to get information because there is one more step in there where it use to be a direct contact,? said Williams.

The mayor will meet with some council members to work on issues like communication during a public meeting on Thursday at the City Administration building at 10 a.m.

Councilman Tim Leigh said the communication problem is within council not with the mayor.

?I think it is going to be an interesting meeting from the standpoint that there will be some superficial things discussed, but you aren’t going to get to the core or the meat, the grind. Politics is just dirty business at the end of the day, and you are not going to get there in a public session,? said Leigh.

In a written statement the mayor?s office did not directly address the comments made by Czelatdko on her Facebook, but did indicate that the council decided to communicate through a liaison and that the city did not remove anyone from any mailing lists.