County Finalizes Admin Contract; 11th-Hour Write-In Candidacy Invalid

In a very brief special meeting of Hinsdale County Commissioners on Friday morning, July 20, the board met to consider and approve the contract of new Hinsdale County Administrator Jami Scroggins. In her opening statement, Commission Chairperson Susan Thompson offered her welcome, “I hope that the board, the elected officials, the other county employees will be as helpful as possible to welcome you and that we can move forward as a county.”
Thompson noted that Scroggins had actually been on the job since July 17 working with the outgoing administrator, Deanna Cooper, who leaves the post effective July 31.
Commissioner Stan Whinnery, who was present prior to the special meeting, was absent for the actual meeting, leaving a quorum composed of Commissioner Cindy Dozier and Thompson. Dozier moved to approve the contract and hiring of Scroggins effective July 17, followed by a hearty second from Susan Thompson.
Friday’s special meeting opened at 9:07 a.m. and continued for less than three minutes prior to adjournment.
Informal discussion took place following the meeting on local school coach and science instructor Dan Scroggins’ apparently abortive attempt to run as a write-in candidate against District 1 Commissioner candidate Kristie Borchers. Scroggins’ filed his intent to run as a write-in candidate within hours of the deadline to file requisite paperwork on Thursday evening, July 19.
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Scroggins is the husband of newly-named Hinsdale County Administrator Jamie Scroggins.
Scroggins, who lives in San Juan Hills Subdivision north of Lake City, filed his write-in paperwork with Colorado Secretary of State’s Office at 2:38 p.m. on Thursday and it was in turn transmitted to Hinsdale County Clerk Joan Roberts after the office closed at 5 p.m.
A quick check of records, however, confirmed that Scroggins’ write-in candidacy was invalid based on the fact his San Juan Hills’ home is located in Commissioner District 2 and he is not a resident of District 1. State law mandates that a candidate must reside in the commissioners’ district for which he or she is running.
With the deadline for write-in candidates to file passed, Kristie Borchers is now running unopposed for the District 1 Hinsdale County Commissioner seat being vacated by Cindy Dozier.