Week of February 3, 2022
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 9
Conflict grows between sheriff and former second-in-command Former undersheriff sues current sheriff BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A heated conflict between the Douglas County sheriff and his former second-in-command — who is now running as a candidate to replace him — appears to be headed to the courts after a lawsuit was filed against the current leader of the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Tony Spurlock and former Undersheriff Holly Nicholson Kluth’s feud involves a mishmash of investigations and accusations including allegations of political scheming, domestic violence and illicit deletion of personnel files. The rivalry has come to a head now that Kluth has filed a lawsuit against Spurlock — who is termlimited — alleging he suppressed her First Amendment rights and violated employment law and internal policies when he demoted her in 2020 and fired her in 2021.
Politics at play It all began with the 2020 election for Douglas County commissioner. In September 2020, Spurlock, a Republican, publicly endorsed Lisa Neal Graves, a Democrat, who ran unsuccessfully against Republican George Teal. Internal sheriff’s office files show that in the days that followed, the county’s Republican Party developed a plan to publish endorsements from the sheriff’s office command staff for Republican candidates, according to documents obtained by Colorado Community Media through a public records
Time capsule honors history of Highlands Ranch Community leaders cap celebration of 40-year anniversary BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Leaving a legacy for the future, the Highlands Ranch Community Association, or HRCA, capped off a months-long project by burying a time capsule at the Eastridge Recreation Center on Jan. 31. The capsule, filled with items donated by community leaders, will be opened for new community leaders to see in the year 2056. The time capsule was an idea brought to light by Julianne Hennings of the HRCA. Hennings worked to pull together donations for the capsule, which was done in honor of Highlands Ranch celebrating the community’s 40-year anniversary in 2021. Through monthly presentations held last year, the Highlands Ranch Historical Society provided SEE CAPSULE, P5
request. After being asked to participate in this plan, Kluth submitted a statement to the county GOP supporting conservative candidates, according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the situation. She also posted that statement to her Facebook. When Spurlock learned of the plan and confronted Kluth about it, she deleted the post and withdrew her comments to the GOP. Following the internal investigation, Spurlock informed Kluth that SEE SHERIFF, P6
School board members allege Wise threatened with termination Minority members also allege violation of open meeting laws BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Kristy Howell, of the Northwest Douglas County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation, gets help from Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock in the PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES burial of the time capsule.
FLU SEASON IS HERE
Doctors expect more cases in 2022
P2
Three Douglas County School Board members are alleging the four new board directors gave the superintendent an ultimatum — resign or be fired — without formal board approval and without the full board’s knowledge. Directors David Ray, Susan Meek and Elizabeth Hanson made the allegations in a Jan. 31 publicly noticed meeting, also discussing their SEE MEETING, P8
GETTING ON ‘BOARD’
Chess is king during pandemic
P12