Springs developer pushes for strong-mayor form of government

Colorado Springs voters may be asked in November to change the city’s system of government into a strong-mayor form similar to that in Denver and a majority of other large U.S. cities.

The proposed charter change, being championed by a local developer, would give the mayor executive power and eliminate the position of city manager, who currently oversees day-to-day operations.

Under the existing form of city government, nine elected council members, including the mayor, appoint a manager to carry out their directives.

The Colorado Springs mayor and council members earn $6,250 a year in what are considered part-time jobs. City manager Penelope Culbreth-Graft earns $210,000 a year.

“I would address it as an issue of accountability, because right now, one of the things we’ve seen is: Who is accountable on City Council?” said Ralph Braden, a vice president with Springs developer Nor’wood Development Group, which is leading the effort.

“Is there any one person that you would say is accountable for what happens at city government, and I don’t think we’ve got that right now,” he said Wednesday.

Braden said the group, called Citizens for Accountable Leadership Colorado Springs, has support from developer Chuck Murphy, former council member Mary Ellen McNally and Andy McElhany, former state Senate minority leader.

The group has hired political consultants, pollsters and attorneys in Denver with municipal law experience “to look at redrafting the city charter,” he said.

Although Nor’wood initiated the discussion, it wants to get the community involved through town hall meetings, focus groups and other outreach efforts, Braden said.

“We don’t want it perceived, nor should it be if it’s going to have any chance of success in the community dialogue, that we’ve got a dog in the hunt,” he said. “We have no agenda in terms of somebody sitting in the wings to come in and do this. We just think that it will lead to a better form of government for our community going forward.”

Nor’wood is one of the city’s biggest and oldest commercial and residential real estate developers. Its holdings and developments include the Nor’wood and Wolf Ranch residential subdivisions on the city’s northeast side; several commercial developments along  Powers Boulevard, including the First & Main Town Center retail and entertainment complex; and the downtown Plaza of the Rockies office complex and Powers Auto Park.

Braden and other Nor’wood employees are involved in various civic affairs.

“Somebody’s got to get the ball rolling” on initiating a change in the city’s form of government, which has been a topic of discussion in Colorado Springs for decades, Braden said.

Of the 50 largest U.S. cities, 62 percent have a strong-mayor form of government, said Adrian Kwiatkowski, president of the San Diego-based Strong Mayor-Council Institute.

“Every community has to decide for themselves that they want to do this. I think there are ingredients here,” said Kwiatkowski, who is working with Nor’wood as a consultant.

“I think the ingredients you see are people unhappy with the direction of City Hall,” he said.

“The challenging economic times can either be addressed two ways: You can either be reactionary or see this as an opportunity to reposition the city toward a better future. My take on it is you’re just seeing a reaction right now, and what’s lacking is real leadership to say, ‘This is how we’re going to get out of this mess. This is how we’re going to downsize city government,’” Kwiatkowski said.

Neither Culbreth-Graft nor Mayor Lionel Rivera returned calls for comment.

Braden said changing the city’s form of government wouldn’t guarantee that Colorado Springs’ problems would be solved. The city is grappling not only with budget shortfalls but distrust from the public.

Braden said details of the proposal, including a possible salary increase for the mayor under a new form of government, are still up for debate.

“That’s part of what we’re going to have to test, is there appetite among the public to (raise the mayor’s salary) so we can attract people from different backgrounds to come in and run for this,” he said. “I would hate to see this (proposed initiative) fail over the wage, and it could.”

Gazette writer Rich Laden contributed to this report.

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