AURORA | Aurora City Council met in a special executive session with City Manager Skip Noe for four hours Monday night, where some left frustrated, stating they couldn’t come to an agreement over the fate of the embattled city manager.
“I’d say Skip will have his job for however long he wants it,” said Councilwoman Sally Mounier, who left the meeting around 8:15 p.m. with Councilwomen Marsha Berzins and Barb Cleland. “There’s no resolution. We went as far as we could go, and there was no point in going any further.”
Term limited Councilwoman Molly Markert announced her candidacy for mayor in this year’s election, saying the move is linked to the controversy over unhappiness with Noe’s role as city manager.
Five city council members, all women, said Noe has treated them dismissively, and they have been critical of his performance. Some have even asked for him to retire. Noe has denied the claims that he treats the women lawmakers differently than others. Other council members have defended the top city administrator, who has held the position since 2010.
Fifteen minutes later, Councilman Bob Roth left the meeting along with fellow council members Brad Pierce and Debi Hunter Holen. He said he felt like the council members were making good progress with the issues surrounding Noe, but that they could not come to an agreement, which is why he left.
For nearly three months controversy has been brewing between Noe and five Aurora councilwomen, with some insisting that Noe leave the job. In January, five councilwomen that include Barb Cleland, Renie Peterson, Markert, Sally Mounier and Marsha Berzins pushed forward a vote of no confidence for Noe on the regular agenda that failed.
In February following the no-confidence vote, Noe hired Jason Batchelor to serve as a third deputy city manager. He told the Aurora Sentinel in February the decision to hire the new deputy position had nothing to do with the failed no-confidence vote, and that the suggestion came from a December performance review he underwent with the city council where some council members said they feel they can’t get things done in a timely fashion under Noe’s leadership.
After the closed meeting, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan said the issue will be discussed again in a closed meeting before the next regular city council meeting on April 13.
“We’ll continue talking,” he said. “It’s no secret there are some strongly held beliefs on both sides of the issue. But you never get anywhere if you don’t sit down and talk.”
Noe was previously city manager for Corpus Christi, Texas. According to city records, Noe makes $196,764 a year as city manager. His salary increased by nearly 4 percent in 2015 from the year before, the same increase that all city employees received as part of the 2015 city budget.
I am a young Aurora resident and I think it is important for those five councilwomen to state their case in DETAIL about what exactly is bothering them about Skip. We have a RIGHT to know, especially if it involves our top non elected official with the decision power making he (Skip) has.
I remember that Council members can be reprimanded, committee assignments taken away, as well as
no I phones, if 6 council members vote to do this. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be 6 votes to
reprimand Mr. Noe. Wonder if the females on council could file a harasssment charge at the Dept. of
Labor against Mr. Noe. Looks like all they are getting is the run around, which is very unfortunate.
Aurora is too big to continue with a City Manager style of government. In general, small cities and towns operate using this type of government. Aurora is neither. Pay the mayor and city council serious salaries and allow them to run city government. Currently, one person, who is not elected by the voters, has way too much power. Aurora cannot compete with Denver until they make this change in governance.
I agree completely with your statement. Wonder what the process is?
Seems as if Skip Noe (who bears a spooky resemblance to Frank Langella) is Aurora’s very own Bill Cosby! How many women will it take to point out his inability to work effectively with females before the good ole boys on the Council and in the Mayor’s seat will listen and heed? I, for one, will be voting for a woman mayoral candidate in November, for sure. Women tend to take issues of sexism and harassment and violent outbursts very, very seriously. I agree with SJM: Aurora’s outdated style of government has to go. City Council and Mayor should be well-compensated, full-time positions.
How about a movement? would you participate to go about this change?
Sure. Be happy to. I am a follower and not a leader but delighted to join in for a good and noble cause!
The thought of organizing folks to demand an explanation of what is these councilwomen’s dissatisfaction and bring awareness to this issue and demand answers, no?
The good old boy network is alive and well in Aurora. Yes, I agree salaries should be more, but this doesn’t address
the very serious problems the females on the council are experiencing. How would you like to be screamed at and
berated? Maybe your sister, your mom, your niece, etc. Noe needs to shape up or be shipped out.
The good old girl network is just as strong as the good old boy network, especially on city councils and school boards. Most city and town council members and local school board members throughout Colorado are women. Denver and Aurora are examples. Indeed, two-thirds of the Denver council are women. And, women are the majority on the Aurora council.
I would LOVE to see a viable female candidate for Aurora Mayor once more. I don’t care about party affiliation so much as about values and goals. Someone who could be better vetted in advance than was candidate Vickery, for whom many of us worked so hard to see given a chance, and then were denied due to closet skeletons.
Why is electing a “viable” female candidate more important than the “most qualified” person regardless of gender?
She said viable candidate, not shove the first woman we can get into office. Once there are candidates, voters then choose whom is qualified or not. That’s how elections work.
I wonder if Skip gave the ladies flowers and candy before the meeting.
I don’t think before the meetings were the problem. Sounds like it was, during the meetings that was the problem. Do you think giving your wife flowers and candy allows you to berate and disrespect her the rest of the time?
Prediction: If Molly takes the seat of the Mayor and if Arnie Schultz wins Molly’s current seat in her Ward, Noe WILL be gone.
True…..
Skip demise ‘ s a women’s intelligence.
Women are beneath him.
Little, that he knows he wears panties.