FORT COLLINS, Colo — Fort Collins City Council on Tuesday decided to postpone a vote on the redevelopment of more than 160 acres of land where the old Hughes Stadium once sat. The topic has incited controversy since the Colorado State University (CSU) Board of Governors decided to sell the land to a developer that plans to build hundreds of homes.
An ethics complaint filed Tuesday afternoon against three members of City Council questioned their connections with CSU, asking them to recuse themselves from the vote. The complaint mentioned Mayor Wade Troxell, Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stephens, and Councilman Ken Summers.
Troxell is an associate professor at CSU and Stephens works in the Department of Statistics.
"I don’t have a conflict, financial benefit, or determent, by participating in this item," Troxell said.
The complaint was filed just hours before City Council was set to hear public comment and a second reading on a plan to rezone the land for development.
Another ethics complaint was filed last year against Troxell and Stephens regarding similar alleged conflicts of interest. An ethics investigation cleared both of any wrongdoing in December.
"They work for CSU, they collect a paycheck from CSU, they are employees of CSU," said Rory Heath, who filed the new complaint. "I am appalled and embarrassed that members in that position did not recuse themselves."
City Council will now plan to take up the issue on March 17 once the new ethics complaint is resolved.
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