Broomfield Mayor Pro Tem Deven Shaff will request a censure for Ward 1 Councilmember James Marsh-Holschen at Tuesday’s upcoming Broomfield City Council meeting after Marsh-Holschen’s comments regarding the city and county manager’s conduct.

A censure is a public reprimand and formal statement of disapproval of an elected official’s actions.

The request for censure was brought forward after an email from Marsh-Holschen was brought to the attention of the council. In the email, Marsh-Holschen accuses City and County Manager Jennifer Hoffman of mismanaging the county’s water funds.

“I honestly don’t understand how it isn’t so glaringly apparent to everyone that (Hoffman) is intentionally sabotaging Council and making it look like she is the ‘fiscally responsible’ person while Council is irresponsible,” the email reads. “All of which, because we demand to hold her accountable for the gross negligence of the water mismanagement and dare to question anything on the budget!”

The council voted to increase water rates in the county by 40% last year, a controversial decision made to maintain the county’s water infrastructure, which it has said will continue to decline without maintenance.

“In 2022, staff brought forward a proposal (to raise water rates) based on a detailed rate study … then in 2024, staff brought a new rate study done by a different consultant, and council was blindsided by that,” Marsh-Holschen said. “How could we possibly have not had accurate information (before 2024)?”

Marsh-Holschen said he took issue with staff not showing the council all the data from the rate study, and instead only presenting the top line numbers. He said he requested the data from staff multiple times via email, but never received it.

“I just didn’t feel like we were given the data that we needed to be able to make a decision on rate increases, which is why I would eventually vote no on them,” Marsh-Holschen said. “I do believe that it was mismanaged and it wasn’t handled in a way that was beneficial.”

In an email to council members, Shaff states that the email violates the council’s code of conduct, and that formal action and intervention is warranted.

“The email in question contains unsubstantiated claims, unfounded accusations, and inappropriate behavior,” Shaff’s email said. “I firmly believe that the Councilmember’s conduct falls well outside the bounds of reasonable behavior expected from an elected official.”

Shaff declined to comment further, and will present the request for censure at Tuesday’s meeting.

Marsh-Holschen said his email regarding Hoffman’s management of the water funds was shown to council members after it was pulled for a citizen’s open record’s request, and that although some of it was said out of frustration, he stands by his statements.

“I will say that I did not mean ‘gross negligence’ in its legal terminology, but the other part of my statements on mismanagement and my opinion that manager Hoffman actively undermines council to the public — I will stand by that,” he said.

In Tuesday night’s meeting, Shaff will present the request for censure and Marsh-Holschen will provide further comment. Hoffman declined to comment on the email or the request for censure.