The Thornton City Council Meeting was called to order by Mayor Britney Boroughs On February 10. The council reviewed and discussed updates to the minutes from their December meeting, including fixing typos. They also discussed the need for someone to take official minutes because they do not currently have a designated minute keeper.
The water and sewer department is working on a bid for water improvements after flushing hydrants led to complaints about dirty water. They assured the residents the issue would settle after the flushing was finished. The city is also looking for grants to help with their water system because they cannot shut off the water supply.
Financial concerns sparked heated discussions. The council reviewed bank statements and discovered problems with unauthorized purchases and unpaid bills. Some employees had been using city funds to fill up their gas tanks instead of logging mileage as required. Orders had also been placed for items the city could not afford, and bills were not being paid due to lack of communication with the mayor.
Council member Libby Coates expressed her frustration over not receiving financial information she had requested since January 2. She questioned the status of grant money, which Mayor Boroughs said had not been deposited into the city’s account in all of 2023. The last mention of the grant was in March 2021. Libby voiced concerns about the city’s financial state, saying, “The primary purpose in this Municipal League, that I learned this week, is the city council is financial. So I do not understand why it has been so difficult for me to get financial information. I just want to go on record saying when I saw these bank statements and how low it was… My heart just sank. I am not trying to be difficult, I'm just trying to find out why we don't have any money.”
Mayor Boroughs stated she was unaware that bills were not being paid and that payments were being sent to Warren without the city having the funds to cover them, The meeting grew tense, leading to a executive session. Which after Libby Coates left for the remainder of the meeting.
By the end of the meeting, Mayor Boroughs announced her resignation but was convinced by the council to stay until June 2025. The city council will hopefully continue to resolve the financial issues and improve communication throughout the council moving forward.
