Special Greeley City Council Meeting, April 16, 2026: West Greeley Oversight Committee Interviews

The Greeley City Council held a special meeting on April 16, 2026, to conduct panel interviews for 22 applicants vying for nine seats on the newly formed West Greeley Citizen Oversight Committee. The meeting, attended by all six council members, was called to order at 6:00 PM and adjourned at 7:46 PM. The committee is tasked with providing oversight on a contentious and complex development project, requiring a significant time commitment of approximately two to three hours per week for at least six weeks. Mayor Hall emphasized the need for fact-based deliberation and transparency.

West Greeley Citizen Oversight Committee Applicant Interviews

The council interviewed applicants in three groups, with Acting City Manager (named Brian McBroom in the official minutes, but referred to as Ryan McRoom in the raw transcript) reading prepared questions. Each applicant had 90 seconds to respond to three questions regarding their motivation, approach to disagreement, and basis for recommendations.

Representative applicant positions during the interview process included:

• Group One (Interviews began at 6:01 PM):

  • Jeffrey Kennedy: Expressed support for the project as a "yes vote" but acknowledged significant risks, citing the need to avoid repeating the "Future Legends" development failure in the area. Highlighted his project management background in the oil and gas industry.
  • Louisa Andersen: Voiced intentions to represent citizens who felt "overlooked" in the process, drawing on her experience on the Planning Commission and her financial literacy background.
  • Bob Locke: Pledged to apply a process-oriented approach given his concerns about the integrity and transparency of the process so far, drawing on his nuclear power and capital budget management background.
  • Stephanie Ludwigsen: Emphasized the importance of translating complex data into common language for residents.
  • Dennis Hall, William George, William Schneider: Focused on protecting community investment, civil engineering expertise, and real estate development experience.

• Group Two (Interviews began at 6:46 PM):

  • Scott Ehrlich: Expressed cautious support, wanting to thoroughly study the project to ensure the city does not miss an opportunity or set itself up for failure.
  • Michael Trotter: Stated his decision was driven by a desire to "not cripple the city of Greeley with debt" and criticized both the yes and no sides for failing to effectively communicate the facts.
  • Paul Paxson, Barry Bode, Nick Kenny: Highlighted extensive experience in financial due diligence, large-scale project analysis, and community board representation.
  • Scott McPherson and Robert Slovick: Emphasized strategic planning, data analysis, and conflict resolution skills.

• Group Three (Interviews began at 7:15 PM):

  • Tom Pfankuch: Declared the project an "opportunity of a lifetime for Greeley" and expressed strong support based on his long-term investment in the city.
  • Thomas Donkle: Focused on the need for community healing and consensus-building, citing his involvement from the beginning.
  • Jesse Allen: Advocated for systematic financial analysis to ensure good conscience decisions for all stakeholders.
  • Matthew Canterbury (via Zoom): Offered expertise from his role as the Town Manager of Keenesburg.
  • Beau Doran and Michael Trotter: Stressed separating "noise from the signal" and establishing clear rules of engagement.

Key Outcomes

• Appointments Announced: City Clerk Heidi Leatherwood announced the following nine appointees to the West Greeley Citizen Oversight Committee: Bob Locke, Stephanie Ludwigsen, Jeffrey Kennedy, Scott Ehrlich, Nick Kenny, Scott McPherson, Tom Pfankuch, Jesse Allen, and Michael Trotter.
• Voting Process: Council voted by secret ballot after each interview group to select three appointees per group, holding multiple rounds of voting when necessary.
• Committee Mandate: The committee is tasked with a substantial time commitment (2-3 hours per week for at least 6 weeks) to navigate the complex considerations of the West Greeley project and provide recommendations to the council.

Note on Discrepancy: The official minutes identify the Acting City Manager as Brian McBroom, while the raw transcript repeatedly refers to the same individual as Ryan McRoom. This discrepancy could not be resolved from the provided source materials.