[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Hearing before Judge LaBuda - It was a very good day

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Cowles, Macon

Andrew Shoemaker and I attended the hearing on Patrick Michael Murphy’s CORA request today. There was more than three hours of argument and evidence. The Court ruled that the City did not have to turn over any more information to Mr. Murphy. The Court ruled that by releasing the 20 year cash flow, the City had complied with its obligation under CORA, mainly, releasing all public records covered by CORA. The Court held that it will award attorneys fees and costs to Mr. Murphy’s lawyers, but only up to the point where the City released the 20 year cash flow yesterday. Mr. Murphy’s lawyer put on no witnesses, but merely cross examined the City’s witnesses.


What was very clear in the testimony was the extraordinary competence of City Staff. Kelly Crandall, Heather Bailey and Jonathan Koehn were able to explain clearly and in detail what the Court and Mr. Murphy’s lawyer admitted were very complex models in order to test whether or not forming a Municipal Electric Utility could meet the Charter requirements. Kathy Haddock and Tom Carr as well as the lawyer for Mr. Murphy had pointed and detailed questions for these witnesses. Kelly, Heather and Jonathan showed that they have mastered the detail, complexity and seriousness surrounding the opportunities and constraints in forming the utility. 


I want all the rest of you who did not have a chance to experience the trial today to at least have a sense of the solemnity and high purpose that filled the courtroom. It was a good day for all the people of Boulder.


Macon Cowles
Boulder City Council Member

1726 Mapleton Ave.
Boulder, Colorado 80304
CowlesM at bouldercolorado.gov
(303) 447-3062
(303) 638-6884