Silverton – The town of Silverton’s financial records, including payroll documentation, have been mishandled for months, alleges a lawsuit by a couple who loaned the town more than $100,000 to help buy and install a chairlift at the municipal Kendall Mountain Recreation Area.
Laura and William E. Alsup Jr. filed a complaint in district court in Silverton earlier this month, alleging the town has not produced required financial statements and business plans, including those that would enable the town to borrow money from the Region 9 Economic Development District to reimburse them for the chairlift.
“We’re basically asking them to do their jobs,” said Bill Zimsky, the Alsups’ attorney. The suit names as defendants Town Clerk-Treasurer Linda Davis; former Town Administrator Devin Granberry, now employed by the town of Dillon; Mayor Greg Swanson; and three of six town trustees.
“We’re not perfect, but there’s been no foul play,” Swanson said. No funds are missing, he said, and there is no evidence of malfeasance.
Officials this week hired two accountants to look into financial record keeping.
“We’ve just decided it’s something that needs to be done because there’s been a lot of speculation and innuendo around town. It’s really a way to restore confidence and go that extra step.”
Town officials said in a news release that they will vigorously defend what they deem to be a frivolous but costly lawsuit because of the “considerable public actions taken by the town board and plaintiffs over the past year to identify and resolve known problems in our routine financial reporting.”
The town’s statement cited inexperienced employees and problems with accounting software for creating the ongoing problems. Swanson said some employees have received inaccurate paychecks or retirement deposits.
“Those things … have been taken care of. Anytime there’s been an error, it has been remedied as soon as possible.”
Staff writer Electa Draper can be reached at 970-385-0917 or edraper@denverpost.com.
Staff writer Gabriela Resto-Montero contributed to this report.
