Florence voters say they want council candidates committed to accountability

FLORENCE, Colo. (KRDO) -- The City of Florence has been operating without a city council for over a month now. As of Tuesday, 13 Investigates learned that 11 citizens have filed a petition to run for one of the six vacant council seats.

The City of Florence says 11 of 33 candidate packets were submitted to the clerk's office by the deadline. Interested citizens are required to get 25 petition signatures from voters in their wards to be considered.

Wednesday, a half dozen Florence citizens spoke to 13 Investigates about their calls for increased transparency when an entirely new council will take over in early August. Some voters say they are focused on finding the candidates that are committed to accountability amid a corruption scandal plaguing the city.

"We are still having meetings every two weeks, but we are not represented. I'm not being represented and I am not allowed to speak. Public comment is being discouraged," Florence Resident Kathy Madonna said.

Madonna says she has been frustrated while listening to recently released executive session tapes recorded in 2021. Those tapes were released earlier this year after the now-former Florence City Council received a legal notice from a former employee to turn them over because the governing body had violated open meeting laws.

"I'm concerned that even when we get a new council, that it may continue because that's the culture that has been developed through the last several years," Madonna said.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is actively investigating potential criminal allegations involving the City of Florence.

13 Investigates previously exposed various issues within the government including a city hall sex scandal, missing taxpayer money and an alleged attempt to use federal COVID-19 money to pay city staff for bogus sick days.

Tim Jordan, another Florence taxpayer, says sweeping changes are necessary to clean up alleged corruption issues that have plagued the city for years.

"I think there needs to be a culture change. There seems to be a culture of resistance in getting some things done," Jordan said.

Jordan said he does believe that many of the people who want to run for the new council want corruption allegations to be fully investigated.

"For years, we've been wanting young people to step up and fix things and take charge, so now is the time for them to do that," Jordan said.

The City of Florence's special election is scheduled for August 2. The candidates that will be on the ballot are expected to be announced next Wednesday.

If you have a tip or lead you want our team to look into, email us at 13Investigates@krdo.com.