Denver Board of Ethics

The Board of Ethics administers the Denver Code of Ethics, which regulates the employees, elected officials, appointed officials and board and commission members of the Denver city government.

The Board also:

• Gives advice about ethics issues 
• Investigates complaints submitted by city employees  or citizens about ethics issues regarding Denver city government personnel
• Works with the Office of Human Resources to provide ethics training to city personnel.

• Submit a Complaint Form to the Board of Ethics.
  *Note:  Board of Ethics is not able to accept complaints about actions that took place more than two years before the date of filing the complaint.
• The Board of Ethics is required to send a copy of the complaint to the person who is the subject of the complaint.
• The Board of Ethics will then screen the written complaint and determine whether a public hearing is warranted to consider the complaint.

Read more about the process for filing a complaint concerning a city employee, officer or official in The Denver Code of Ethics or the Rules of Procedure.

Board of Ethics Nomination Committee

In March 2017, the Denver City Council established a Board of Ethics Nomination Committee to recommend persons to the Mayor and City Council to be appointed to the 5-member Denver Board of Ethics. The members of the Nomination Committee are:

• Brian Spano (appointed by Mayor Michael Hancock) – bspano@lrrc.com
• Michael Lopez (appointed by City Council) – mikelopez@alum.mit.edu
• Michelle Stermer (appointed by Presiding County Court Judge Theresa Spahn) – michelle.stermer@xcelenergy.com

In May 2017, the Nominating Committee recommended the re-appointment of Board of Ethics Members Sylvia Smith, Andrew Armatas and Julia Yeckes. Mayor Michael Hancock and City Council accepted those recommendations and re-appointed them.

The next anticipated vacancies on the Board of Ethics will be for Roy Wood (who is not eligible for another term) and Patrick Tooley, both of whose 4-year terms will expire on April 30, 2019. Anyone who wishes to submit an application or to recommend another person may contact one or more of the Nominating Committee members at their e-mail addresses above. Information about the Denver Board of Ethics may be found at www.denvergov.org/ethics or by calling 720-865-8412.