13 Investigates: Attorney for fired Florence City Manager Mike Patterson responds to allegations
FLORENCE, Colo. (KRDO) -- 13 Investigates is finally hearing from criminally charged and fired Florence City Manager Mike Patterson through an attorney, after multiple repeated requests for comment since November of 2021.
Attorney Dan Ernst, with the Baker Law Group, sent KRDO a letter just hours ahead of the Colorado Bureau Investigation's announcement that the Fremont County District Attorney requested their assistance to review "potential criminal allegations" in Florence.
In November, Mike Patterson was arrested at the Denver International Airport on charges of stalking, sexual contact no consent, and providing alcohol to a minor. All of the charges are related to his behavior with women he supervised, according to Florence Police Department arrest records.
Ernst says Patterson received a death threat on March 22.
Criminal Charge
The letter from Ernst goes on to say it is false that Mr. Patterson was "charged with giving alcohol to a minor" and says that Patterson instead gifted wine to a 21 year-old-male employee who in turn shared the alcohol with his 20-year-old girlfriend.
However, court records show Patterson was charged with providing alcohol to a minor by the Florence Police Department and Fremont County District Attorney's Office last November, according to current court records. The providing alcohol to a minor charge against Patterson has not been dismissed, according to current court records.
Interest-free loans for city staff
Patterson's attorney also claims that the at least $95,000 interest-free payroll loans paid out to city executives and other employees were approved by the Florence City Council and were part of a long-standing policy followed by Patterson, many staff members, and city councilors.
The law firm also says that the "missing $2,000" is not missing at all because it went to an employee who was not an executive and asked for a payroll advance. The law firm says that the employee was not able to return to work after being injured and did not pay the advance back. The attorney says Patterson "assumes that the City has sent that employee to collections to recover the $2,000 owed."
On February 28, the interim Florence City Manager provided a letter to KRDO, saying the advances were a clear violation of city policy. It also said "The now terminated City Manager violated City Policy by authorizing such practices, further, by authorizing a wage advance for himself, without receiving approval from the Florence City Council, displayed [a] rogue arrogance to City government."
The City of Florence previously provided 13 Investigates with extensive documentation on the payroll loan financial information. We first published all of this on March 3.
COVID sick time leave
Ernst also says that Patterson was following CDC and related federal guidance when he directed his former Florence staffers to take COVID sick time when they were not ill at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Mr. Patterson wanted to minimize staff time of working together so he originally thought that he could use FFCRA funds for payroll or at least a tax credit to offset the expense of the reduction of staff time working together," Finance Director Lori Cobler wrote.
The City of Florence Finance Director Lori Cobler said she did not seek federal reimbursement for the sick days after reviewing the requirements for reimbursement. However, Cobbler does say in a city record that Patterson believed the sick days would be paid by the federal government to keep employees safe from the pandemic.
"Mr. Patterson worked with the City Council and the entire City of Florence management team to come up with what they believed were the best policies to deal with the pandemic," Ernst wrote to KRDO.
Former Florence council members Melissa Hardy, Kristal Wood, Brian Allen, Mike Vendetti, Anthony Esquibel and Allen Knisley all tell 13 Investigates they do not remember that plan or discussion taking place.
13 Investigates has repeatedly asked questions of Mr. Patterson directly in the Fremont County Courthouse on two different occasions. He remained silent during both interactions. We have also reached out by phone and email to his criminal defense attorney requesting comments and interviews multiple times since November 2021 and he did not respond.
The letter sent by Patterson's attorney did not mention our previous reporting detailing sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations from multiple women who worked for him at Florence City Hall.
Patterson is due back in court for his criminal case on April 11.
