Two Outgoing Council Members Skip Commerce City Transition Ceremony as Councilmember Noble Praises Them
A standing-room-only crowd watched C3’s new council take office, but the unexplained absence of two outgoing members — and remarks urging praise for them — departed from a routine swearing-in.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Two outgoing Commerce City councilmembers did not attend the council’s final meeting Monday, Dec. 8, skipping the ceremonial handoff to newly elected officials.
Before the swearing-in, councilmembers offered words of thanks or farewell, as a customary part of the transition. Renée Chacon and Kristi Douglas were absent and did not address the council. This marks the third consecutive council meeting that Chacon has missed without explanation.
In her remarks, Noble urged the other councilmembers to acknowledge the service of all who were departing. Later in her comments, she repeated the point.
Only two officials referenced the absentees: Mayor Steve Douglas, the husband of Kristi Douglas, and Noble.
No explanation for the absences was offered during the session. Requests for comment sent by The Snoot to Chacon, Douglas and Noble were not returned.
The special meeting drew a standing-room crowd and featured the swearing-in of new councilmembers, including Joanna Sandoval, who was sworn into her first public office. Supporters and family members filled the chamber, applauding as each oath of office was administered.
The remainder of the meeting focused on procedural matters, including commission and committee assignments for the newly constituted council. The meeting concluded without further discussion of the missing councilmembers.
The absences followed a contentious election and a lack of public concession from some departing candidates.
Following the election, Chacon publicly criticized the results on social media, writing, “Well Commerce City is f**ked.”
This is her only public remark about the election. She has not issued a concession statement or public message congratulating the winning candidates.
Lucy Molina, who ran unsuccessfully in the same election, posted a very similar comment. She campaigned alongside Chacon both in this race and a previous one and is someone Noble has described as a friend.
Noble has questioned an aspect of the election: the scope of voter participation. In a Facebook post to friends before final turnout numbers were reported, she wrote that the election was decided by “15%” of voters.
Data from the Adams County Election Office contradicts Noble’s claim. It shows that 15,808 ballots were cast out of 64,849 registered voters citywide, a turnout of 24.38%.
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