An ethics committee has been convened to consider a complaint against state Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster.

According to witnesses, Winter showed up at a Northglenn town meeting on April 3 visibly intoxicated and combative. The Northglenn City Council voted unanimously on May 1 to send a resolution to Senate President Steve Fenberg asking him to launch the ethics complaint.

The committee will be chaired by Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver; other members include Senate President Pro tem James Coleman, D-Denver, and Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Summit County*. The Republican members are Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen of Monument and Assistant Senate Minority Leader Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs.

The resolution pointed out that at the April 3 meeting, Winter “appeared to be intoxicated while sitting on a panel of the state and local officials answering questions from the community on the decision-making that led to the siting” of a transitional living facility. It noted that Winter “appeared to have glassy eyes, slurred speech, and some individuals smelled alcohol on her breath, and as a result she also appeared at various times disinterested, annoyed, and combative.”

Winter was advised to find a ride home instead of driving. The following day, she announced she was entering rehab. She was excused for a week while her rehab was done at home under medical supervision.

Winter stepped down as chair of the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee. However, she retained her leadership role as assistant majority leader, a position she was elected to last year, despite widespread knowledge that she was struggling with alcohol issues.

“I apologized to the city and the citizens and am committed to repairing the relationship,” she said. “I recently enjoyed working with the city on (House Bill) 1107 which they had prioritized.”

The bill deals with judicial review of a local land use decision.

Winter apologized for her behavior at the April 3 meeting on April 4, saying she deeply regretted it. “I made a mistake, and I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience or discomfort I caused,” she said.

“I take full responsibility for my actions and I am committed to making things right. I especially apologize to the City of Northglenn and the citizens that came out. I deeply care about your thoughts and community. I am now under the care of medical professionals and receiving treatment for my substance abuse disorder,” she said.

She also sent a letter to the city council for the May 1 meeting, but they did not read it publicly.

During that May 1 meeting, council members didn’t mince words about Winter’s behavior. Winter’s problems with alcohol have been well known at the state Capitol for more than a year, leading some on the city council to blast her Senate colleagues for ignoring the problem.

Councilwoman Megan Burns noted that anyone else who drinks on the job would be terminated.

“How can we know that she’s making the best decisions for us while she’s suffering from this disease and not seeking help and not getting the help that she needs?” Burns asked, calling it a failure of duty.

“I have empathy for her, but I’m putting our residents and our job first over my personal feelings,” Burns said.

On Wednesday, Mayor Meredith Leighty said, “The Northglenn City Council members wish State Senator Faith Winter well and hope she has time and space to focus on her health. The decision to submit an ethics complaint was not made lightly. However, we felt strongly this issue needed to be addressed, given her behavior at a large public meeting in our community related to a bill she pushed forward. Submitting an ethics complaint was the responsible thing to do and I am pleased we were taken seriously. I hope the outcome of the investigation benefits all the people State Senator Winter represents, especially our Northglenn residents.”

Fenberg announced on May 29 that he would convene the panel to investigate the complaint. He did not give a date for its meeting.

Editor’s note: previous version misidentified a member of the ethics panel.