A routine change in leadership roles on the Board of County Commissioners attracted attention this week when Commissioner Lynn Padgett was not chosen as chairperson, a position that instead went to Commissioner Jake Niece.

Commissioners usually take turns as chair, which involves tasks including running meetings, maintaining decorum and signing board documents.

The decision came after the public release of an investigation report into a complaint Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger made against Padgett before her re-election.

Though there is no formal rule requiring commissioners to take turns as chairperson in a certain order, and there have been past situations where a chairperson has served for more than one year in a row, taking turns has been a tradition.

There was one other recent case in which the chair was not selected in order, when former Commissioner Don Batchelder received the chairmanship over former Commissioner Ben Tisdel during Batchelder’s last year in office. However, that decision didn’t attract the kind of attention displayed at Tuesday’s commissioner meeting, nor the amount of public comments. The meeting room overfl owed during the meeting with Padgett’s supporters in attendance.

Commissioners received 14 written public comments in support of Padgett, with some of them specifically lobbying for her to be selected as chairperson, which is unusual. Some of them said they understood the board would be reorganized and they endorsed Padgett for the chairperson responsibilities.

“To pass over her for no good reason would be a stain on the integrity of the current board,” wrote Art Goodtimes, a former San Miguel County commissioner and current Telluride Institute program director who called himself a longtime supporter.

“I hope the rotation of the BOCC Chair position goes to Lynn as seems appropriate and in (the) right order and timing for how leadership positions rotate on the BOCC,” wrote Angela Hawse of Ridgway.

“Despite any claims contained in the recent investigation, I strongly stand with Lynn and hope that she will be granted the position of BOCC chair so that she can continue to provide the outstanding leadership, guidance, and expertise that she has brought to this community,” wrote Chris Snell of Ridgway.

“I am relieved and pleased to know that given traditional procedure and rotation, Commissioner Padgett will lead our county into 2025 as Chair of the BOCC,” wrote Ridgway resident Robyn Cascade.

But commissioners broke with that tradition this week.

An hour after Padgett and Niece were sworn into their positions, Commission Chairwoman Michelle Nauer began the discussion about selecting a new chair by referencing the investigation report, which was on the agenda later in the meeting.

“It is in the best interest and the health of the county for all my fellow elected officials, staff and employees, that I move to nominate Commissioner Niece,” she said.

Niece later moved to nominate Nauer as vice chair of the board, citing the same reasons.

Padgett asked Nauer if the investigation report was her reasoning for nominating Niece, which she affirmed. Nauer added she did not nominate Niece based on his position as a witness in the investigation, which was up for discussion that afternoon.

“I feel like I am in the bullseye here and it feels very, very uncomfortable,” Nauer said.

Padgett said it would be appropriate for Nauer, as the only uninvolved party, to remain chairperson for the discussion of the investigation that afternoon.

Nauer agreed to amend her motion, appointing Niece as chairman beginning the next day, which prompted grumbles from the audience.

Niece and Nauer seconded their respective motions. Padgett abstained from voting.

Members of the public commented on the decision, with some saying they didn’t feel the investigation was fair.

Ouray resident and City Councilor Tamara Gulde expressed her disappointment with county leadership, saying she had emailed the county a response to the complaint months earlier. She refuted two separate allegations in the investigation about the commissioner’s involvement in concerns over blasting in Ouray and a group of citizens’ response to flood damage on Coal Creek Road.

“I’d like to hear more about Lynn’s position. I don’t think that she’s had a fair share,” Gulde said.

Ouray resident Jenny Hart expressed general distress about county dysfunction and asked county leaders to get along.

Ridgway resident Sheldon Kerr said the investigation highlighted that female leaders are expected to be dually likeable and assertive. She contended the allegations themselves constituted harassment or bullying.

“She doesn’t work for you, she works for me and I like the way she is,” she said.

“If the worst thing that could be said is that she’s assertive, decisive, annoying and dogged, then God bless you, Lynn,” she said.

Ridgway resident Kristin Arnold thanked county leaders and reiterated Padgett works for the public, not county staff, and pointed to her re-election.

“Lynn doesn’t need to be liked. She’s working for the people. She’s doing her job,” Arnold said.

Lia Salvatierra is a journalist with Report for America, a service program that helps boost underserved areas with more reporting resources.