Cañon City Council voted Monday, Oct. 19 not to pass an ordinance that would have stripped Mayor Phil Lund of one of his few remaining independent powers: the ability to form special-issue committees and decide who serves on them. The measure, known as Ordinance 18, would have amended Section 2.04.170 of the city's code to remove the mayor's sole authority over establishing those committees and assigning their members and responsibilities.
The vote followed weeks of public tension between the council and Lund over how much control the mayor's office should hold in Cañon City's council-administrator system, in which, according to FOX21 News, the City Council makes the majority of major decisions while a city administrator manages day-to-day municipal functions. Lund publicly opposed Ordinance 18 and asked the council to abandon the proposal before the vote, the station reported.
Council Members Wanted More Say Over Committees
Under the current arrangement, all committees are appointed by the mayor, according to the Cañon City Daily Record. Councilwoman Kathy Worthington described the mayor's position as effectively a weak-mayor role, noting that while the office holds a seat on the council board, it lacks voting privileges. Worthington said council members wanted greater participation in choosing the individuals who serve on these committees, per the same station's report.
The push to rework committee authority traces back to a council meeting on Sept. 29, which the Daily Record's reporting described as the most divisive, contentious and dysfunctional meeting yet. At that meeting, the City Council directed city attorneys to return Oct. 19 with policy that could strip nearly all of the committee power from the mayor. Councilman Tim Dennehy had suggested changing the charter so that all of council could be involved with picking committee members, the outlet reported.
Mayor Says Office Already Has Little Power
Lund wrote that the proposal would remove almost the last responsibilities given to the mayor's office by long-standing ordinances. He said the mayor receives blame for nearly everything but has little actual authority, noting that the mayor does not vote, make motions, or direct staff, and casts a vote only to break a tie — something unlikely to matter, the Daily Record's reporting adds, given how many council votes are decided 6-1.
Lund argued that further limiting the mayor's duties could hinder issue resolution and lower public accountability, as reported by FOX21 News. He asked who would run for an office with no power or independent influence and responsibility, and said that limiting the mayor's role could make asking mayoral candidates what they stand for meaningless. The mayor is currently called upon to set the council agenda, make appointments, and serve as the official government representative, according to the Daily Record's reporting.
Lund Raises Transparency Questions
In his public comments ahead of the vote, Lund raised 14 questions about transparency and accountability, including when information is shared with the public and whether citizens are told what happened and why when something goes wrong. He questioned whether citizens' voices are heard and whether answers are provided, and asked who citizens can hold responsible when problems arise. Lund cited the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park transition as an example of his concern about openness when things go wrong, according to the Daily Record's account.
Lund said government belongs to citizens and exists for their benefit, and urged residents to consider the direction of city government over the next two, five and 10 years. Under a future policy still being discussed, the mayor could retain only one of the powers he outlined, the Daily Record reported.
Backdrop of a Broken Council
The committee dispute has unfolded alongside separate turmoil at City Hall. The City Council accepted the resignation of Hoffman, Parker, Wilson & Carberry, P.C., which had served as the city's legal adviser for the previous decade, according to the Daily Record. In response, Lund appointed a five-member committee to study the resignation and recommend a future working relationship between the city attorney and city leadership, saying he would not direct its work himself.
Lund wrote that the current City Council is broken and questioned whether it could be brought back together, a sentiment that underscores just how strained the relationship between the mayor's office and the council has become. Monday's vote against Ordinance 18 keeps the mayor's committee-forming authority intact for now, though the broader debate over how much power the office should hold appears far from settled.
