First-ever City Charter Available for Public Review
Rick Langenberg
A lengthy campaign aimed at giving the city of Cripple Creek more local control and a way to escape the restrictions of state regulations now comes down to a final verdict by the ultimate jurors: the local voters.
The Cripple Creek City Council recently signaled the green light for the town’s first ever city charter, a 30-page, no frills document that outlines an overall structure for the local government. More specifically, the council certified the ballot language for a vote on the charter document in November.
Local voters have the final say on the proposed home rule charter, which ultimately serves as the city’s mini-constitution. A charter commission made up of almost 10 members spent the past six months drafting it and holding regular meetings.
But if you are looking for a document that outlines sweeping policy changes or ambitious goals, this is not the legislation you will find.
The proposed charter sticks to the basics, outlining the dos and don’ts for rules of conduct for elected leaders, commissions, employees and managers, while touching on such subjects as potential conflicts of interest, initiatives, recalls, open meetings and overall government procedures.
Some residents may be surprised by what the document omits, such as proposed changes to gaming device taxes or stricter policies for owners of vacant commercial buildings that negatively impact the community.
“It really comes down to local control,” said City Administrator Frank Salvato, when outlining the goal of the charter. He believes the commission fulfilled its duty. “It’s a good charter,” said Salvato, who is quite familiar with this process during his government career in Colorado and Texas.
Although certain hot subjects aren’t specifically addressed, Salvato said that if the city does become a home rule city, it could have more authority to proceed with certain issues of concern, including addressing vacant, empty structures located in the commercial core of the downtown. “As a statutory city, there was nothing we can do (regarding this issue),” said the city administrator.
In addition, city officials have cited a home rule designation as a key form of protection against the plethora of new legislation, considered by state lawmakers. In the last few years, the state lawmakers have set records for the number of new bills they approve, some of which have significantly impacted small communities in rural areas, including Cripple Creek.
The charter is comprised of16 articles or chapters, and altogether it is quite a concise document. It is not designed to tackle controversial subjects.
As noted in the charter’s introduction, “the commission believes that this charter provides a structure for a responsible government for the city of Cripple Creek, now and in the future, that will maintain and enhance the quality of life of the citizens, continue the growth and progress of the city, and continue to be responsive to the needs and concerns of the citizens.”
“The charter really identifies what we can’t do,” said Mayor Annie Durham. Like Salvato, she is pleased with the final product and is hopeful for a positive vote in November. “I am cautiously optimistic,” said the mayor.
That said, she is encouraging the charter commission, or any other entity, to set up public town hall meetings this summer to help educate the public. By law, the council can’t legally perform this function.
Durham cities this education piece as critical and believes the previous town hall meetings played a role in the Nov. 2025 vote in which voters overwhelmingly supported the home rule process by an impressive 60 to 40 percent margin. The mayor encourages residents to review the document, now available online, or for obtaining a full physical copy, now available at city hall.
The charter, according to Councilman Jared Bowman, who led the initial campaign for the formation of a charter commission, was modeled somewhat after one done in Loveland, Colorado. At the outset, the commission did review many city charters of Colorado communities similar in size to Cripple Creek.
The charter does propose certain changs of operation. The city administrator position would be elevated to a “city manager” spot. And in order to fire a head manager, the number of tallies for termination would have to meet a threshold of two-thirds of the elected leaders. This is different from what has occurred in the past when a simple majority vote could axe a city administrator.
Still, Durham contends the charter avoids giving the council, or any current officials, any more extra powers.
The charter also addressed an issue that often raised many questions in the past: conflicts of interest.
On the other hand, this possible change could have posed more of a risk for the city. “It would have been a gamble for the city,” said Durham.
The mayor said the council met earlier with gaming operators, and both sides agreed to keep the current system in place. Bowman agreed and classified the current relationship between the city and the gaming operators as outstanding. He is confident that more casino employees and managers will now support the charter document.
To review the charter, visit the city’s website or stop by the Cripple Creek City Clerk’s office.
