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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKIWUJ8eNBUkwWGnYnhj55Mb_adYOrHCs-XmO0g0JbriiXv1QQjondb18vOxLdxbUBr8_Rh8acr8nGPa4e3EFsOXv3Y4ZUODc-rXZVWL6n628188Gmb4cllEQ3CSMRNa70tcN1evj08pD/s1600/bennett.jpg"
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"
style="text-align: center;">Kevin Bennett the city council
president was a convicted felon<br />
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The Steamboat Springs City Council President, Kevin Bennett,
was a convicted felon when he was president of the Steamboat Springs city
council from 1998 to 2002 and the police reported to him.<br />
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Bennett was not asked about his felony record until
2009<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">The city
attorney knew Bennett was a convicted felon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"
style="text-align: center;">Lettunich works simultaneously as city
attorney and a real estate lawyer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"
style="text-align: center;">Lettunich openly advertises his zoning
practice while he is city attorney</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"
style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:
small;">Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct require written
notification and permission from city council for Lettunich when
there is a conflict of interest<br /><br />Lettunich and Bennett
kicked me out of Steamboat so that I wouldn't make comments like these, which I
just found on the Steamboat Pilot website:</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<div class="p1">
One way to clean house would be to get a new city attorney
and assistant city attorney. The last time I looked the local laws said that
the "assistant city attorney" is responsible for making sure that
Steamboat complies with its own laws and the constitutions of the U.S. and CO.
I think that should be changed to "city attorney", which is what it
probably said. I read that just a few days ago the attorney general of the
State of New York sent some 200 lawyers who work for governments there letters
telling them they cannot have a simultaneous private practice. In the Colorado
Rules of Professional Practice, a lawyer is required to get permission from a
government If he engages in private and government related work. If you look at
what the city spends on Lettunich & Vanderbloemen, plus in house legal
staff (which is sometimes more than one full time position), you have a pretty
big budget. If you advertised a full time city attorney position, I think you
would some really great applications. You could hire someone from outside the
local area who isn't beholden to anyone.</div>
<div class="p1">
Years ago I was offered a job at HUD to develop technical
capacity in local governments. There is probably someone doing this sort of
service now and books on the subject.</div>
<div class="p2">
July 16, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. ( <a
href="http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2008/jul/16/lanning_council_part_ways/#c45984"><span
class="s1">permalink</span></a> | <span
class="s1">suggest removal</span> )</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p1">
yes, it sounds to me like Lanning is a professional. It must
be difficult to be a professional working for the City of Steamboat. Years ago
my neighbors were setting off city sized aerial fireworks 75 feet downhill from
my property. Bennett invited the City Council to these parties. The assistant
fire chief said that his department was told that if they protested their
budget would be cut. After the Internet became available I found out that
according to international standards we weren't even supposed to be allowed to
be home when the fireworks were set off, the statistical danger was so high. In
fact, between us and the fireworks there was a south-west facing hill of brush
without vehicular access.</div>
<div class="p1">
Another conflict I think the city council needs to face
concerns the role of Anthony Lettunich. Steamboat has a full time attorney. Why
does it also need a part time attorney who does business with people who also
have applications before the city? The Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct
supposedly prohibit an attorney employed by government from doing business with
related parties without getting permission every time. You gotta wonder why
council members come and go, city managers come and go, but Tony Lettunich
remains?</div>
<div class="p2">
July 13, 2008 at 6:36 p.m. ( <a
href="http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2008/jul/13/laura_case_we_need_lanning/#c45623"><span
class="s1">permalink</span></a> | <span
class="s1">suggest removal</span> )</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
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<div class="p1">
<a
href="http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2008/jul/08/lannings_future_air/#c45570"><b>Lanning's
future up in the air</b></a></div>
<div class="p2">
Harvey Rose was supposedly a good city manager but he was
fired. I think the Steamboat City council only wants yes men like Paul Hughes.
He retired when he left. If they get rid of Lanning they will hire another yes
man.</div>
<div class="p3">
July 13, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. ( <a
href="http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2008/jul/08/lannings_future_air/#c45570"><span
class="s1">permalink</span></a> | <span
class="s1">suggest removal</span> )</div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
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I sued Kevin Bennett and the City of Steamboat Springs. I'll have to expand more on a different blog or this one will get too long.
Lettunich billed the city for a long distance ex parte conference call with the magistrate