‘Bare’ mayor bears foes’ censure

Associated Press

DENVER – Some residents of a historic mining town want to oust their stripper-turned-mayor, alleging she exposed herself at a local tavern and has tried to abuse her powers.

Koleen Brooks, 37, denied the charges, though the Georgetown mayor said she has flashed her breasts at bars in nearby Evergreen and has vacationed at nude beaches.

“I’m vivacious. I’m a nut. I’m just a social butterfly who wants to bring this town together,” said Brooks, a single mother with a 19-year-old son.

Brooks, who worked as a stripper in Denver about 15 years ago, said she is being attacked by political enemies for trying to change the mountain town of 1,100 people about 40 miles west of Denver.

She was elected in April by a vote of 210 to 179. “No matter what they think of me, at least I’m the voice of the people,” said Brooks, a Georgetown native who rides a motorcycle and owns a hair salon in town.

Police investigated allegations that Brooks exposed herself at Dexter’s Tavern one night in October but filed no charges.

“I want her removed, not for personal reasons but for the sake of the town,” said Brooke Buckley, a town board member and mayor pro tem.

Board members said the mayor tried to abolish the police department because an officer treated her unfavorably. Brooks said she wants to replace the police department with patrols by the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office to save money, not because of any treatment she received.

A probe completed Tuesday by the Colorado Bureau of Investigations into allegations the mayor plotted to murder a police officer turned up nothing.

Charges will not be filed because the investigation did not corroborate with an informant’s complaint to town authorities, Georgetown officer Mark Dillard said.

Lisa Olsen, a customer at Brooks’ hair salon, told police she heard the mayor tell someone on the telephone in the shop, “Do you know what we talked about? I want to make it happen.”

Olsen asked Brooks if she wanted to scare Dillard and Brooks responded, “We are going to hurt him badly or kill him,” according to a police report. Brooks denied the allegation.

She also denied claims that she tried to remove several town staffers because they disagreed with her.

Brooks said she favors a balance between development and preservation and is fighting board members who want taxpayers to bear the expense of maintaining Georgetown’s historic flavor.

Local newspaper columnist Gaille Robertson said Brooks faces an uphill battle.

“The old guard wants to control everything about the town, down to the most minute detail,” said Robertson, who works for the weekly Clear Creek Courant.

Several people have inquired about the recall process, but no one has filed the paperwork, town clerk Phyllis Mehrer said. The board could oust the mayor by a two-thirds vote or a recall election could be held.