RECEPTION#: 981633,Date: 6/4/2025 3:00 PM, Pages: 1of6, COMMIN Montrose County, CO. Tressa Guynes, Clerk and Recorder COIORATO EST. 1883 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF MONTROSE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DATE: 4/15/2025 The Board of County Commissioners met in Special Session at the Montrose County Public Works Meeting Room, 63160 LaSalle Road, Montrose, CO 81401 at 3:30 p.m. Those present: Scott Mijares, Chair; Sean Pond, Vice-Chair; Sue Hansen, Commissioner; Julie Andress, Assistant County Attorney; Melissa Howie, Clerk to the Board. A. Welcome 1. Pledge of Allegiance 2. Roll Call Scott Mijares, District 1: Present Sue Hansen, District 2: Present Sean Pond, District 3: Present 3. Public Comment Period: Chair Mijares: Normally we would have public comment but due to the limited and sensitive nature of this agenda the public comment will not be taken. believe this is the most appropriate approach to maintain order and preserve integrity in the process and compliance with Colorado law. Let's have a little order please. First on the agenda and I'm going to make a clarification here, move to update Agenda item B1 - General Business and Administrative Items. This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 233 B. General Business and Administrative Items: 1. Discussion of County Manager's Contract: REVISED during the Meeting to: Consideration of acceptance of resignations of County Manager Rodriguez and County Attorney Whitmore. Authorization of the Chair's signature on a personal action notice approving the same. Chair Mijares: Do I have a second? Commissioner Pond: Second Commissioner Hansen: I'm concerned about that wording. Chair Mijares: This was provided by our Assistant County Attorney Commissioner Hansen: So, is this all according to their contracts? Assistant County Attorney Julie Andress: Yes Chair Mijares: Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor say Aye. Commissioner Mijares moved to approve this revised and updated acceptance of resignations of County Manager Rodriguez and County Attorney Whitmore. Commissioner Pond seconded. Motion carried 2-1. 2. Board of County Commissioners Consideration and possible approval of engagement of the Law Firm Bechtel and Santo as outside council Chair Mijares: Secondly, we need a motion on the consideration and possible approval of engagement of the Law Firm Bechtel and Santos as outside council. Do I have a motion? Commissioner Pond: I'II make the motion Chair Mijares: Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion among the Board. Commissioner Hansen: Yes, I have some discussion. So, imagine my surprise that on April 2nd there was an agenda item contract matters, risk assessment looking for outside counsel because of a contract. Assuming it was the North Campus because that's what we were talking about at the time. Then yesterday it was not on the work session agenda. So, it shows up today as now we are hiring an outside council for employment law. I can only This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 234 imagine what that's for. There has been no discussion, no conversation about this. So, oppose this. We have a very competent HR person; we have legal counsel in house that can handle these types of things. I'm not really sure why we have to have an additional law firm at additional cost. What do you need to know that our team can't answer? Chair Mijares: Any other comments? Commissioner Hansen: Yeah, I'd like an answer. Chair Mijares: What do you want me to say, we're, the Board is entitled to have a second opinion and legal counsel regarding Commissioner Hansen: We are also entitled to have an understanding of what you are looking for and why you are hiring this. Chair Mijares: Well this, Commissioner Hansen: It's not a vacuum and has already been talked about transparency is an important piece of public entities like the County. And that's why all these people are here because they want to know what's S going on. Chair Mijares: Well, this refers to very personal, employment subjects and it's very sensitive in nature. So, we're going to seek outside counsel to get some advice on how we should handle these two matters. Commissioner Hansen: So, I've been here for seven years and we handled some very sensitive issues without going to outside counsel, very competent HR, and I'I repeat again, very competent legal team to handle this. So, I'm not really sure why we are spending more money to get outside counsel. Is this the beginning of hiring outside counsel and spending more money than we need to spend? Chair Mijares: We'll discuss that in our Executive Session. We'll discuss that in our Special Session. So, right now we're going to close out the Regular Meeting and we are going to entertain a motion to go into Executive Session. Commissioner Pond: Move to approve Chair Mijares: We have a motion to go into Executive Session. Do we a second? Commissioner Hansen: Second This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 235 Chair Mijares: We have a second. All in favor - Aye. All opposed? Abstentions? Okay, we'll be back. Assistant County Attorney Julie Andress: Okay, one moment. For the record Commissioners, there's been a motion and second to go into Executive Session pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) could there be some clarification? The notice says several different provisions but understand it to be provision F for discussion of interim positions and personnel issues and not for legal advice. Is that correct? Chair Mijares: Correct Assistant County Attorney Julie Andress: Okay, sO this session will be recorded. Chair Mijares: Absolutely Commissioner Pond moved to go into Executive Session. Chair Mijares seconded. Motion carried 2. Commissioner Hansen Opposed. C. Executive Session 1. County Attorney's Office, Martha Whitmore, County Attorney The Board may meet in executive session pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(a), (b) € and (f) for discussion on appointed interim positions and general operations within County Administration as it applies to County Manager, County Assistant Manager and County Attorney. Assistant County Attorney Julie Andress: The Board has exited the Executive Session. The Board met in Executive Session pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) (f), to discuss personnel matters. Specifically, the appointing of interim County Manager and interim County Attorney. Present in that meeting were HR Director - Leslie Quon, all three Commissioners Scott Mijares, Sue Hansen and Sean Pond, and myself, Deputy County Attorney - Julie Andress. need a motion to return to Regular Session. Commissioner Hansen: So moved Chair Mijares: That was a motion to return to Regular Session. Commission Pond: Second Chair Mijares: We have a motion and a second. All in favor... This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 236 Commissioner Hansen moved to move into Regular Session. Commissioner Pond seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Mijares: Call for a motion Commissioner Hansen: Mr. Chair I move to approve the appointment of Julie Andress as our Interim County Attorney. Chair Mijares: Can we have a second on that motion? Commissioner Pond: Second Chair Mijares: All in favor... Commissioner Hansen moved to appoint Julie Andress as Interim County Attorney. Commissioner Pond seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Mijares: It passes. Okay another motion Commissioner Hansen: The next motion would be to appoint the Assistant County Manager errr.. Interim County Manager. I'm sorry - it's late - right? Interim County Manager which will be Leslie Quon. Chair Mijares: Can we have a second? Commissioner Pond: Iwill second Chair Mijares: Is there any discussion? No discussion. All in favor. : Commissioner Hansen moved to appoint Leslie Quon as Interim County Manager. Commissioner Pond seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Mijares: Okay, SO... We have now filled the positions that we need to carry on with business. Ijust want to mention to everybody that we do have a meeting tomorrow. Apologize for not taking public comment but this was for personnel matters and tomorrow we will have a meeting at 9:30 and we invite you all back if you want to make public comment. We now have an Interim County Manager that the entire Board agreed upon. We were unanimous. And we are grateful for that. And that will conclude this meeting. We need a motion to adjourn. D. Adjournment Commissioner Hansen moved to adjourn; Commissioner Pond seconded. Motion carried unanimously. This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 237 With no further business coming before the Board, the Board of County Commissioners adjourned at 4:50 pm. BOARD OF MONTROSE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Scott Mijarès, Chair Sean Pond,, Vice-Chair Nu Sue Hansen, Commissioner ATTEST: CJ By: oare Melissa Howie, Clerk to the Board SEAL) Bubges - This document was approved on 06/04/2025. Page 238