The chairman of the Denver Board of Ethics will step down from the appointed position next month because of a sudden potential conflict of interest.
Brian Spano is a law partner with Kristin Bronson at the Denver firm Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie. On Oct. 17, Bronson will start her new job as Denver’s city attorney, a post to which Mayor Michael Hancock appointed her in mid-August.
The city attorney occasionally appears before the board of ethics to represent the mayor’s office or other city officials when ethical questions arise or they seek advisory opinions.
“In light of the recent appointment of Kristin Bronson, my current law partner and colleague, to serve as the new City Attorney, and after careful consideration, I believe it is prudent to resign from the Denver Board of Ethics,” Spano wrote in a recent letter of resignation to City Council president Albus Brooks. “This will avoid any questions about future conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and ensure the continued integrity of the Board of Ethics.”
Spano joined the ethics board as one of five members in 2013 as a council appointee. His term was due to end in April. During his tenure, the board has pushed for ethics reforms, an effort that continues as .
His resignation will take effect at the end of the Oct. 19 ethics board meeting. The council office submit an application by Oct. 12.