Lakeside puts town clerk on leave during Colorado car investigation
The Town of Lakeside has placed Brenda Hamilton, the town clerk who is also the mayor's daughter, on paid administrative leave. Her father, Bob Gordanier, who is both the Lakeside mayor and police chief, made the announcement this week.
Gordanier wrote that, "This decision was made in the best interest of both Brenda and the department while an outside investigation is conducted into accusations that have been brought to light."
Gordanier's email to town employees, which he said was "confidential and internal only," went on to say "In no way is this decision based on any evidence or presumption of guilt."
The personnel move involving his daughter comes two and a half months after CBS News Colorado began reporting on Hamilton and her family buying police vehicles from the town's fleet for below-market value and in some cases, reselling the vehicles on the open market for much higher prices.
Hamilton has previously denied doing anything wrong, but following the CBS News Colorado investigation, the Jefferson County District Attorney's office opened its own probe into the vehicle sales.
In previous statements, Gordanier said of the car sales, "She wanted to buy 'em and so I sold them. It was a lot easier to just do it and be done with it than having to advertise it or anything."
He said he simply signed bills of sale and assumed his daughter later filled in the sale prices of the vehicles.
In recent weeks, Lakeside complied with a CBS News Colorado Open Records Act request releasing paperwork which showed Hamilton's son, Marcus, also bought a town vehicle for $500. The 2011 Dodge Charger had 129,500 miles on it and paperwork shows Marcus Hamilton bought the police vehicle in 2021. Used car pricing websites suggested the vehicle was worth as much as $7,000.
An attorney representing Brenda Hamilton and Robert Gordanier said he could not comment on the case during the town's investigation.
In his email this week announcing his daughter's leave, Gordanier wrote "the paid administrative leave will remain in effect until the investigation is complete."