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Denver Ethics Board clears Councilwoman Alvidrez of alleged violations in taxpayer-funded spending

By Alex Edwards 04/05/2024 | updated 1 year ago

District 7 Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez did not violate the Denver Ethics Code according to an investigation and finding from the Ethics Board on Wednesday. The decision follows a complaint made in January in which a council aide claimed Alvidrez misused thousands of taxpayer dollars. 

The complaint highlighted seemingly flippant spending, including thousands on a parade float, food and alcoholic drinks for a birthday and payment for a project lacking proof of services rendered, according to previous Denver Gazette reports. 

While the board found no violations, Alvidrez’s actions did raise “legitimate questions and concerns” in what the board called a pattern of requesting the use of taxpayer money, according to a transcription of the Wednesday meeting. 

“Ultimately there does not appear to be a technical violation of the Denver ethics code related to use of public funds for private gain,” the transcript reads. “While there was no technical code violation, this [raises] significant concern.”

The board recommended the city take a fresh look at the code of ethics and update it as needed. 

Though cleared of wrongdoing and violations of the ethics code, Alvidrez was sharply reprimanded in the transcript. 

“This was really a flagrant disregard of appropriate use of public funds,” it reads. 

In a complaint before the Denver Ethics Board, council aide Leya Hartman outlined several instances in which she said Alvidrez spent on – and tried to get reimbursement for – items disallowed under city rules.

In her complaint, Hartman claimed that Alvidrez bought items or travel upgrades with little regard to city policy over the use of taxpayer money.

Alvidrez also spent $4,234 in taxpayer dollars for an extra Halloween parade float – after already paying a group $10,000 for a float, Hartman claimed. That $4,234 went to Alvidrez’s ex-husband, Cesar Duran, Hartman said.

“Cesar agreed to build one float for me for the cost of supplies and labor and Youth on Record solicited a sponsorship so that I could walk with them in the parade,” Alvidrez said in response to the claims. “Both had spent time and energy so I did not feel like it was right to cancel either one … I did not privately benefit from either transaction and Cesar is no longer related to me.”

Hartman said that, on Sept. 29, she received two invoices of $3,000 each for a “School Community Outreach” from Alejandro Fuentes Mena for “Outreach Plan, Data Compilation, and Outreach.”

“I have still never seen any data, services rendered, or deliverables from this project,” Hartman said.

In her response to the complaint, Alvidrez said Mena is in “no way related to me nor is he a business associate.”

Alvidrez has not issued an official statement, but will do so when the written decision is released by the board in a few weeks. She is grateful for the board’s diligent investigation and proud they found no ethics violations, she told The Denver Gazette Thursday.

Denver Gazette reporter Noah Festenstein contributed to this report.

FILE PHOTO: Denver City Councilmember, Flor Alvidrez, speaks during at City Council Meeting in Denver on March 4, 2024.
Tom Hellauer/Denver Gazette
FILE PHOTO: Flor Alvidrez speaks at an event. 
Noah Festenstein/Denver Gazette
Alex Edwards

Reporter

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