Golden – Outside counsel paid for by taxpayers will represent Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Congrove as an individual in a lawsuit filed in late May by a former Arvada bank employee.
The county board as a whole will be represented by county attorneys, Deputy County Attorney Ellen Wakeman said Tuesday.
State law requires representation under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, which protects government officials “when acting within the scope of their duties,” Wakeman said.
The lawsuit filed by Lori Stille names the board, a private investigator and Congrove as defendants. Congrove is accused of harassing and threatening Stille and her daughters shortly after he took office in 2005.
Stille contends Congrove was upset about Stille’s relationship with county critic Mike Zinna, who has sued the county and commissioners several times, and what he knew about Congrove’s finances.
“It’s sad. It’s the same old lies,” Congrove said Tuesday. “What a waste of money when we’re trying to make budget cuts.”
Stille contends the board met in an illegal 2005 session to discuss Congrove’s plan to threaten to withdraw county fund from Stille’s bank if she wasn’t fired.
While there wasn’t an agreement to take that action, the lawsuit said the meeting participants failed to keep Congrove from “retaliation” efforts against Stille.
Wakeman said the county will file a motion seeking to dismiss the lawsuit.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
