Patricial Reigel. (Courtesy photo).

MOFFAT — Moffat Mayor Patricia Reigel is currently under investigation for an incident that occurred on Mayor Patricia Reigel Boulevard in Moffat last month. Reigel and the town code enforcement officer are accused of improperly removing items from a local marijuana operation.

According to a report received from a representative of the marijuana business, Reigel and the town’s compliance team entered the property “under the auspices of doing a routine inspection.” Sheriff Dan Warwick stated Tuesday that Reigel and her team appear to have become involved in a matter that should have remained between an employee of the grow and his employer. Video footage from the grower’s report allegedly shows the town’s two compliance officers, paid by the Town to assist in the Marijuana Enforcement Division inspections and enforcement, hauling items off the property in their own vehicles.

Warwick says he has yet to review the video. The report claims one compliance officer “has performed side work for a grower – an obvious conflict of interest.” The grower report states further: “The team spent three hours removing truckloads of items from the premises with no explanation. The entire [incident] was recorded on surveillance video.” One portion of the video reportedly shows Reigel urinating on the property.

Sheriff Warwick says the incident will be turned over to district attorney Robert Willett for review and could result in criminal charges. Warwick, however, feels the incident is more of a civil issue and should have been settled without participation by town officials.

“Reigel and her compliance officers went into a grow to collect the property of a man who worked for the grow,” Warwick explained. “The mayor and the code enforcement person [conducted it as] a compliance check. The guy who had a key to the place allowed them in. The mayor thought she had the authority to make them give up all these things.”

“There is a possible question of judgment here,” Warwick continued. “Reigel shouldn’t have gotten herself involved — the parties should have settled it themselves.” Warwick agreed that the incident places the town in a difficult situation and indicated the matter should have been referred to law enforcement. Warwick says he has not heard from either the employer or anyone from the town, noting the employer has a language barrier that may delay his report. Both sides have involved their attorneys in the matter, he commented.

The grower’s report includes a long list of complaints about the town, also witnessed by those attending meetings and noted for the past several years by Moffat citizens and property owners. These include:

• The mayor’s conduct in public meetings, including explosive outbursts;

• Disrespectful treatment of board members;

• Abuse of authority

• Financial transparency issues

• Reluctance in providing the town’s financial and other records under the Colorado Open Records Act;

• Conflicts of interest among board members and town employees. The town clerk has resigned, and a special meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, June 2. A town official said in an email June 2 that it will be up to the board