School board rejects settlement in open meetings lawsuit

Trial in June

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Douglas County school board rejected a settlement that would have admitted some board members violated Colorado Open Meetings Laws when deciding to re former superintendent Corey Wise last

During a special meeting on May 8, the board voted 4-3 to turn down a settlement in the lawsuit brought by Rep. Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch) in February 2022, alleging board members Becky Myers, President Mike Peterson, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar used a series of one-on-one conversations to discuss Wise’s termination outside of public meet- e settlement laid out three terms for the board, including an acknowledgement that Myers, Peterson, Williams and Wineger broke the law when they had non-public discussions about public business. e other terms were to prevent the board from taking formal action or discussing public business outside of public meetings, except when legally allowed, such as executive sessions or one-on-one conversations not relayed to a third party, and to pay Marshall’s $66,000 legal fees.

After a brief executive session, Williams said she maintains her innocence and doesn’t believe she violated open meetings law, moving to reject the settlement.

“I have maintained for over a year now that I do not believe I did anything illegal,” she said.

Myers, Peterson and Winegar said they didn’t believe they were guilty either. Winegar repeated the argument that since the vote to terminate Wise was public, the group didn’t violate open meetings law.

“I believe there was a vote in public on the decision … and I believe the plainti can remove this (term) from the settlement and perhaps then we can get this thing behind us,” Winegar said.

Board members Elizabeth Hanson, Susan Meek and David Ray adamantly opposed rejecting the settlement, arguing the district has sunk enough money into the lawsuit and that going to trial would further divide the community.

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Douglas County seniors, from left, Brinda Malik, Iris Pixler, Sujay Potlapelly, Shruthi Rajesh and Myles Rubin received Boettcher Foundation Scholarships, which provide $80,000 over four years. COURTESY PHOTO