The Town of Norwood held an election Dec. 10 for the purpose of voting in a new trustee and also determining whether or not to recall the mayor, Candy Meehan. Liza Tanguay was elected to town trustee after winning the popular vote. Mayor Meehan, as a result of the majority vote, will remain in office.
The mayor had been scrutinized for various reasons in the last year, including her inquiry into potentially dissolving the sanitation district, spending money on attorney fees and more. The mayor was cleared by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation earlier this fall, but some in Norwood have not been pleased with her leadership.
The Forum asked Meehan Dec. 13 to comment on the outcome of the election.
“I am incredibly grateful to the voters of Norwood and Wright’s Mesa for their support during the recall election,” she said. “The outcome is a powerful reaffirmation of the trust our community has placed in me, and I remain committed to serving with integrity and focus.”
She said she will finish her term, which ends in 2026.
“There is still significant work to be done, and I am looking forward to continuing to address critical issues such as water, infrastructure, housing, emergency services and education,” she said. “The completion of this election brings a sense of resolution and an opportunity to refocus on the priorities that unite us. I am optimistic about the progress we can achieve together in the months ahead.”
She added she will seek reelection next year.
“Serving as mayor has been an honor, and I am committed to continuing the work we’ve started to make our community even stronger.”
Now in Nucla, there’s a recall in the works for Mayor Kirk Yerke. Melissa Lampshire confirmed with the Forum that 82 signatures were gathered, and 42 were required to hold a recall election, which will cost the town $2,000.
Lampshire said the board will decide on an election date at the next regular town meeting on Jan. 8. She confirmed that Paula Brown is the mayor pro tem, but a successor would be elected to replace Yerke, if he were indeed recalled.
The Forum contacted Yerke about the potential cause of the recall. He said he’s received some tickets for violating town ordinances, and those were related to his dogs. He said it’s true that he had a confrontation with the code enforcement officer, and it’s true that he became upset in a town meeting when “grilled” about the issue.
“It was wrong of me, and the way I acted,” he said Dec. 13. “I apologized, and I owned everything.”
He said he paid the outstanding dog ordinance tickets and apologized to the code enforcement officer, as well as the town board.
Yerke said the recall is about something bigger. He said a group in Nucla is unhappy with his views on housing and development. He thinks the dog issue is being used to remove him from office, since he doesn’t support a new residential development on Main Street, next to the old Nucla school. He said the development property is only 1.8 acres and shouldn’t support 14 or more homes priced t $350,000.
He also said the town spent money updating its master plan, and he’s not happy that the town granted a variance for that development to continue. Yerke said that development would negatively impact others’ home values and property taxes. He said the development is set to continue, but he is against it and further permitting required.
“I take ownership for acting out of line,” he said. “But the guys recalling are the guys who’s work I’ve opposed.”