The deadline for filing papers to run for City Council is still three weeks away.

But the political action committee of the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs has already finalized its endorsements.

“By this time, with the amount of time candidates have had to consider running, we figure that people that have that kind of passion for office already have been out there long enough to have a good sense of the field. So to us, it’s not too early,” said William Mutch, the HBA’s director of government affairs and public policy.

The endorsements were made before all the candidates are known because it’s a “longstanding tradition” of the HBA to get “involved effectively,” Mutch said.

The HBA endorsed only two incumbents — Angela Dougan and Tim Leigh.

The HBA endorsed Keith King over incumbent Brandy Williams in District 3 and Al Loma over Bernie Herpin in District 5.

The fifth incumbent — Lisa Czelatdko — is apparently not seeking re-election.

Ed Bircham, who is running for council District 6 and wasn’t endorsed by the HBA, said he didn’t receive a questionnaire or an invitation to interview with the organization.

“I don’t know why they made up their minds so fast without giving me the opportunity,” Bircham said.

Still, Bircham said he didn’t want to be “indebted” to any group. In fact, he said he’s going to fund his own campaign.

“I’m going to fund it myself so I’m not indebted to special interest groups,” he said.

The HBA PAC is headed by Ralph Braden, vice president at Nor’wood Development Group, one of Colorado Springs’ biggest real estate companies.

Braden, who is on the HBA’s executive committee, declined to comment.

Here are the HBA’s endorsements:

District 1: Incumbent Tim Leigh

District 2: Incumbent Angela Dougan

District 3: Keith King

District 4: Deborah Hendrix

District 5: Al Loma

District 6: David Moore

City Councilman Bernie Herpin, who is running for re-election in April, said he “meant no disrespect” when he suggested that a citizen stop going to City Hall to address the City Council.

During Tuesday’s formal council meeting, Herpin was recorded on a live mic saying, “When are we going to tell her to stop coming here?”

He made the remark when Elizabeth Reed was called up to speak during citizen discussion.

Reed has been going to City Hall for months and speaking during the citizen discussion portion of formal council meetings, raising concerns about smoking in low-income housing for seniors.

“What I was referring to was there is nothing we can do to help her.  Just as she berated the mayor yesterday, we have no control over the Housing Authority. The mayor appoints the housing board, not council. Our council staff and some individual council members have done what we can, which is only asking the Housing Authority to help. It is entirely in their hands,” Herpin said in an email.

“I meant no disrespect and have been one of the most accessible and responsive council members to citizens throughout the city, not just in my district.”

In a telephone interview Wednesday evening, Herpin said he gets frustrated when he can’t help people solve their issues and they keep coming “back and back and back.”

“There was no disrespect intended. Please make note of that,” he said. “It’s frustrating to us when we cannot help people.”

But Herpin said the publicity around his slip-up could help Reed.

“Maybe the media can apply pressure that we can’t,” he said.

“I regret that my mic was on,” Herpin added.

Excuse me?

Do you regret that your mic was on or that you made the remark, Councilman Herpin?

“Both, really,” he said. “But not for the reasons you might think. It’s more out frustration of not being able to help somebody. When they come to council, we want to help.”

For months, Elizabeth Reed has showed up at City Hall to address City Council members during the citizen discussion portion of their formal meetings.

Time and time again, Reed expresses concerns about smoking in subsidized housing for seniors.

Reed’s mother lives at Senior Heritage Plaza, a low-income housing apartment complex for the elderly, and is apparently surrounded by neighbors who smoke.

Reed wants a smoke-free building for her mother.

“It’s assault and battery to stick them in a building with profuse second-hand smoke,” Reed told the council recently, referring to people with respiratory problems.

The city has looked into her concerns.

Council Administrator Aimee Cox has spent countless hours, between phone calls and emails, trying to rectify the situation.

Even Mayor Steve Bach’s chief of staff, Laura Neumann, got involved at one point.

Reed has been told that it’s a matter under the purview of the Housing Authority, which has tried to appease Reed, officials say.

But Reed isn’t satisfied and continues to show up at City Hall.

Reed went before council again Tuesday.

“Happy New Year to you all,” Reed said. “I”m here talking about the same thing. I’m sorry that I came back. I know that you didn’t want to see me.”

If only you knew, Ms. Reed.

When council President Scott Hente called Reed up to speak, Councilman Bernie Herpin made a remark under his breath.

A live microphone recorded what he said.

“When are we going to tell her to stop coming here?” Herpin remarked.

To listen for yourself, click here. Reed starts talking at about minute 48.

Herpin did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

What should Colorado Springs do next in light of a judge’s injunction on the no-solicitation zone?

The Gazette asked Mayor Steve Bach and City Council members to answer the question Wednesday.

Only City Councilman Bernie Herpin responded.

“Before I can comment on the status of the lawsuit and implementation of the no solicitation ordinance, I would need to hear from our City Attorney.  However, we do have an ‘aggressive solicitation’ ordinance on the books that would cover most of the more aggressive panhandling anywhere in the city.  It, like all our laws, becomes a matter of enforcement,” Herpin said in an email.

“I, also, do not understand the comments from the judge about our lack of discussion on other issues with the content of the no solicitation ordinance,” Herpin added. “I recall that we talked extensively about no charity solicitation, specifically about the Salvation Army bell ringers; street performers; sandwich boards; Girl Scouts; and other impacts of the ordinance besides just panhandling.”

City Attorney Chris Melcher weighed in Wednesday afternoon, saying the city had already issued a statement on the matter.

“The release stated that the city would carefully review the written opinion when released next week, consult with legal counsel, and make a decision after a thoughtful review and discussion,” Melcher said in an email.

Melcher also said that Herpin was “absolutely correct” that “there were substantial and detailed discussions in public council sessions that discussed solicitation by charitable organizations,” including the Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts, and solicitation by musicians and other street performers.

“Until we have the judge’s written decision, we cannot be sure what the court meant by those comments or whether the court was simply mistaken in its review of the record,” Melcher said. “The entire City Council proceedings on the ordinance were entered into the record by the city at the hearing, and the record before the court will reflect those discussions. ”

Melcher said it’s unlikely city leaders will be able to discuss “possible next steps” until the next council meeting Jan. 7 because of the holidays.

City Council members inserted themselves into the statewide marijuana debate when they took up a resolution to oppose Amendment 64, which seeks to regulate pot like alcohol.

That got some people wondering: Have council members smoked pot? And if so, do they still smoke pot?

A few coughed up to trying weed.

Others said they’ve never touched it and never would.

A couple of councilmen were vague in their answers.

Here are their answers, all via email:

“In high school, I tried it with my four best friends in my home — yes mom was out of town,” Councilwoman Angela Dougan said.

“We had one joint. We all took a couple of puffs, and it was awful tasting. My thoughts were, ‘What a dumb thing and why would anyone do this?’  Never did it again,” she said.

“I have never used marijuana,” Councilman Merv Bennett said.

Bennett said the question posed to council was “very inappropriate.”

“The inappropriateness relates to asking a question that could lead to a criminal conviction.  It isn’t  a problem for me. I haven’t even smoked a cigarette,” Bennett said.

“As it relates to the debate, it is an Amendment to our State  Constitution that could have significant and serious implications to our City, the quality of life of our citizens, federal funding for roads and bridges, public safety, etc.  Something of that significance demands our attention,” Bennett added.

Like Bennett, Councilwoman Brandy Williams said she’s never smoked pot — or even a cigarette.

“I took D.A.R.E rather seriously,” she said, referring to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Councilman Val Snider took a page out of the Bill Clinton playbook.

“Does it count if you didn’t inhale?” Snider asked.

Councilman Tim Leigh was evasive in his answer.

“I saw your inquiry about council’s pot-smoking-propensity,” Leigh said in his first response.

“While I cannot state with absolute equivocation, it seems we’re all dipping in the medicine on about every other Tuesday afternoon, just after the lunch hour.  That will likely come to an abrupt and unfettered halt when the Mayor (with my full endorsement) creates a no-smoking zone in Acacia Park,” he said.

When pressed for an answer, Leigh continued to be evasive.

“Puff the Magic Dragon, lived by the sea, Frolicked in the autumn mist in a a land called Hana Leigh,” he wrote.

When asked if he was smoking pot when he came up with that response, Leigh, a fitness buff, offered this tidbit and hinted that he may be cover-boy material.

“I’m smoking, alright. I’m on the stair master at the club with Men’s Journal. Photo shoot. Something about my lung power and fitness!” he said.

Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko is out of town and did not respond.

The three council members who served on council before answered the question a few years ago.

Councilman Bernie Herpin said the only marijuana he had ever seen was on TV.

“Until I visited a dispensary, I had never actually seen marijuana in the flesh,” Herpin said.

Council President Scott Hente said he “never” smoked marijuana.

“Look where I graduated from,” said Hente, a retired lieutenant colonel who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1975.

Council President Pro Tem Jan Martin said she tried it once and only once.

“I was so paranoid and looking over my shoulder the entire time that I decided it just wasn’t worth it and never tried it again,” she said. “That’s a very honest answer from a politician.”

By the way, Martin cast the lone dissenting vote on the resolution opposing Amendment 64.

“I wasn’t afraid of medical marijuana dispensaries, and I’m not afraid of this bill for marijuana in our community,” Martin said Tuesday.

The vote to pass the resolution was 5-1. Leigh refused to vote, saying the council isn’t in the business of making pronouncements.

Czelatdko and Williams were absent, though Williams said she would have voted with the majority.

When City Councilman Bernie Herpin joked Wednesday that Richard Skorman’s ashes could be spread at the coal-fired power plant downtown when he died, some people laughed.

Others thought it was in poor taste.

So, what did Skorman think?

Skorman said Friday that he thought Herpin’s remark was funny.

“I didn’t take it seriously. I knew he was doing it in jest,” Skorman said.

“I didn’t laugh because I was too involved in what I was talking about, but I thought it was a pretty good joke,” he added.

Former Vice Mayor Richard Skorman attended Wednesday’s Utilities Board meeting.

He told the board that he appreciated that it was moving ahead with a study of decommissioning the Martin Drake Power Plant downtown but that it was “closing the door” on retiring Drake in the near future because the board had already decided to invest millions of dollars in an emissions control technology.

He said the community would probably have to live with Drake in downtown for the next 30, 40 or 50 years and that he wouldn’t live long enough to see it decommissioned.

“We’ll spread your ashes at Drake,” City Councilman Bernie Herpin told Skorman, generating both laughs and gasps.

Here’s video of the meeting:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bernie Herpin

The Gazette has obtained one of two email exchanges between City Councilman Bernie Herpin and El Paso County Treasurer Bob Balink that Herpin doesn’t want to provide under an open-records act.

The email exchange pertains to a $25,000 water tour that Herpin, along with 73 other elected officials and community leaders, attended at the expense of Colorado Springs Utilities ratepayers.

Here’s Balink’s initial email, sent Sept. 7:

Bernie, there you (they) go again!

Just when I thought I’d get a reprieve from disagreeing with you for a while- there goes another $25 BIG ONES….

…a bus tour and overnight stay at a luxury hotel in Salida to look at the same reservoirs (Turquoise, etc) that were there the last time you went on the water tour?  Really?

I would have used my own gasoline to drive out there and take a few photos to show you the water levels are down a bit. What else can you learn while spending these hard earned taxpayer dollars?

I am discouraged that 74 dignitaries are  doing this and wondering how many, like you, have taken this trip before. Could you let me know?

Meanwhile, be sure to take your camera- the Aspens are turning earlier this year.

Robert C. Balink

Here’s Herpin’s response to Balink:

This is the first tour that I have been on that includes the Southern Delivery System. As a CSU Board member, I believe it was important for me to be on this tour for a couple of reasons:

(1) we make decisions that impact our ratepayers. A recent Gazette article implied that we were not qualified to serve because we don’t know anything about running utilities. So, I go on this tour to learn more and I did. We had a talk on water law while driving by one one the best water attorneys in the state, for example.

(2) We had many elected officials and community and civic leaders who were interested in learning about where our water comes from and how it gets to our city. I was able to meet and interact with these folks.

BTW, I don’t think the Hampton Inn is exactly a “luxury” hotel!

Also, Dougan often states she doesn’t have enough info to make a decision, but she won’t attend things like this and other CSU training sessions.

Sincerely,

Bernie Herpin

Here’s how Balink responded to Herpin’s response:

Thanks for writing Bernie.

You make some decent points- BUT I’d suggest the same could be accomplished with a presentation at a council or utilities meeting before the public. Then we’d all be enlightened.

I’d also suggest if these community “leaders” we’re really interested they should pay their own way.

Glad you got my attempt at humor about the lodging- but isn’t the Hampton Inn at the high end in Salida?

I’ve also spoken about the unnecessary trips to D.C. that too many E.O.s take.

Have a safe trip.

Bob

City Councilman Bernie Herpin reprimanded his City Council colleagues and three staffers today after The Gazette received a leaked email in which Herpin criticized Mayor Steve Bach.

“Lately, someone has been forwarding council emails to people in the media,” Herpin wrote in an email to City Council members, council Administrator Aimee Cox, council communications specialist Vicki Gomes and two council staffers.

“While I understand there is no expectation of privacy (even given the confidentiality statement at the bottom of my emails) when we send an email, professionalism would dictate that the person forwarding these emails would at least have the courtesy of letting us know so we are not “blindsided” when Chacon calls up and asks for a comment about what was said in an email or it appears in print the next day,” he wrote.

The subject line in the email was: “Really?”

And Herpin forwarded the email to The Gazette.

“PS:  I’ll save you the trouble of forwarding this email to Chacon,” Herpin wrote.

The leaked email that sparked Herpin’s lecture involved the monthly Mayor’s Counsel meetings and discussions among council members about holding them on a quarterly basis. Read more about that story here.

“Recently, (the meetings) have mostly been a chance for the executive to try to get the legislative to do something in front of the media and civic leaders without having to come to council meeting,” Herpin in the leaked email.

City Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko says it “seems ridiculous” that Colorado Springs doesn’t have many transportation options for visitors even though it’s the second largest city in the state.

“No public transportation even from our own airport into town,” Czelatdko said Monday in an email to Mayor Steve Bach.

“We may be open for business, but good luck getting yourself here,” she wrote.

“If there really is an interest in economic development, local transportation will at least need to be improved upon. I hope (the Bach administration) is considering with upcoming budget,” she added.

Czelatdko’s email — which also went to Chief of Staff Laura Neuman, Doug Price, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, and her council colleagues — was triggered by an email that a man sent to City Council.

“My wife and me are going to go to Colorado Springs, the flight arrives to Denver’s airport and we’d  like to know how we can go to Colorado Springs, by bus, trains, and so on,” Tomás Ruiz wrote.

“We’d be very grateful if you can help us  with this information.”

City Councilman Bernie Herpin responded to Ruiz’s email.

Here’s Herpin’s email response:

Thank you for visiting our community.  While we do have an airport, some folks do choose to fly into Denver.  There are no trains or direct buses that connect to Colorado Springs from the Denver airport; however, there are private shuttles that do serve our community:

http://flydenver.com/gtdetail?TYPE=COMMUTERSHUTTLES&URI=tcm:8-1398

http://www.coloradoshuttle.com/

You can also rent a car.

With over 55 attractions in and around Colorado Springs, you are sure to have a great time.  Because this is the “wide open West”, you may want to consider renting a car to get around.  Here is a website that will provide information and a free guide to our attractions:  www.visitcos.com

I hope you enjoy your visit and please let us know if you need additional info.

Sincerely,

Bernie Herpin

Czelatdko replied to Herpin and cc’d the mayor, Neumann, Price and her colleagues.

Here’s the full text of her email:

Doesn’t this seem ridiculous us being the second largest city in the state and really no transportation options for visitors to come visit our City. No public transportation even from our own airport into town. We may be open for business, but good luck getting yourself here. If there really is an interest in economic development, local transportation will at least need to be improved upon. I hope admin is considering with upcoming budget.