July 15, 2012 12:39 AM UTC

Chapman Resigns as Public Trustee

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• by: Colorado Pols

In the wake of the Denver newspaper’s muckraking exploration of the budgets of Colorado’s ten appointed public trustees, Jeffco’s own Margaret Chapman has resigned her post. For Chapman, the resignation is little more than a symbolic gesture, as no misdeeds have been alleged in her office.

From the Columbine Courier:

Jefferson County public trustee Margaret Chapman has resigned her job at  the behest of Gov. John Hickenlooper, who requested the resignations of all 10 appointed trustees July 9.

Chapman said Thursday she would reapply for her job.

The governor took action after a July 8 Denver Post story alleged that some trustees were misusing public funds; the article did not single out Chapman for criticism. Chapman, 63, a Democrat, was appointed to the job by governor Bill Ritter in 2007 and reappointed in 2011 by Hickenlooper.

The public trustee is appointed to oversee the foreclosure process on behalf of both lenders and homeowners.

The governor’s office issued a news release late Tuesday saying all 10 appointed trustees had resigned in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo and Weld.

In a county famed for its corrupt government, Chapman has always been a beacon of transparency since her appointment by Governor Ritter in 2007. So while many of her colleagues took full advantage of their lack of independent oversight, Chapman has kept her books in order and done everything above the table. That’s all the more remarkable considering how much a trustee could’ve gotten away with in Jeffco.

There’s no question that Hickenlooper will reappoint Chapman: she’s simply the best fit for the post and she’s done nothing wrong.

What’s less certain is how long she can keep her job after reappointment. The legislature will likely attempt to remedy what is an admittedly-flawed system when it meets in January, perhaps incorporating the ten appointed trustees into existing elected positions in county government.

Nothing could be worse for Jeffco. Paradoxically, moving the office under the aegis of county government would corrupt — not cleanse — the trustee. Jefferson County, after all, isn’t renowned for its transparent government practices.

Jefferson County’s Public Trustee should not only keep her job, she should also be free of county-level interference. As trustee, Margaret Chapman will never do anything ethically questionable. Shifting the job closer to county government, however, will make her eventual successor all that much more, not less, likely to take advantage of the perks of the office.