The City Auditor’s Office released an audit report on April 3 addressing allegations made to the that office’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline that an “elected official’s security detail was completing tasks on behalf of the official,” and that the “elected official used their City-issued vehicle for personal use.”
While the report didn’t identify the elected official, the sole recommendation stemming from the investigation was directed at City administration, not City Council. The only elected official who’s part of City administration is Mayor Yemi Mobolade, who plans to kick off his campaign for a second term next week.
After the report was released, the mayor issued a statement, saying that for “a limited time” last summer “while the Mayor’s personal vehicle was in the shop, his wife Abbey used the City vehicle issued to the Mayor. This use was temporary and properly reported.”
The mayor’s statement further noted that the audit report found that City resources were used appropriately.
“I appreciate the City Auditor’s thorough review of this matter, particularly because no policy related to this currently exists,” the statement said. “As we do with all reports, my administration will take the Audit Committee’s recommendation under consideration as we work to strengthen transparency and accountability moving forward.”
The Auditor’s Office investigation found five instances last year in which the “elected official” – the mayor, as Mobolade acknowledged – was accompanied by a member of his security detail on trips not associated with City business. Those included picking up children from school and then going to the City Administration Building; attending an elementary school graduation for the official’s child and then going to a City event; attending a City event and then picking up the child from school before going to another City event; between City events, the elected official and the security detail picking up dry cleaning, and picking up dry cleaning before attending a City event.
“The personal stops observed were incidental to official travel,” the audit report concluded. “We did not find evidence that the security detail was directed to perform standalone administrative or personal errands on behalf of the elected official.”
The investigation also found that between May and June 2025, a City-owned vehicle was used by the elected official’s spouse for 152.5 miles.
“Finance records confirmed that the use was subsequently reported and the appropriate IRS fringe benefit reporting was completed,” the audit report states.
As a result of that finding, the Audit Committee “strongly recommends” that the administration for the City establish a clear and enforceable policy governing elected officials’ use of City resources, specifically for police detail and use of City vehicles.
City Council Senior Public Communications Specialist Alex Ryden told the Pikes Peak Bulletin that Council members don’t have a security detail. As for use of a City vehicle for personal reasons, the City’s personnel policy manual bars misuse of City resources, including phones, computers and vehicles. The policy applies to employees.
But, the Auditor’s Office specifically said in its audit report that “elected officials are not considered City employees.” So, those policies wouldn’t apply to the mayor.
Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson, who serves on the Audit Committee, told the Bulletin she “fully support(s) the Audit Committee’s recommendation for a clear and enforceable policy that ensures consistent and ethical use of City resources by all elected officials.”
“There may not be specific rules governing the use of City services or vehicles by elected officials, but ethics and judgment should always come first. City Council members are also elected officials – yet we don’t have access to city vehicles or personal security details, and I am not suggesting that we should, but that alone underscores the need for fairness and accountability in how taxpayer resources are used,” she said. “Just because something isn’t prohibited doesn’t make it right. The use of public funds and assets must always reflect the highest standards of integrity and respect for the taxpayers who provide them. Especially in a time of budget constraints, we should be setting the example – not testing the limits.”
Council member Dave Donelson is also a member of the Audit Committee. He said in a phone interview that Council can’t impose policies on the executive branch/the mayor. But in the absence of that, he noted, the Audit Committee made a strong recommendation that a policy be adopted for use of City resources by the executive.
“Even as Council, we don’t fall under the City employee thing,” he said, “but ethics charges can be leveled against us for waste, fraud and abuse.”
He added, “There needs to be a written policy [in the mayor’s office], so there isn’t any ‘I didn’t know,” or ‘we thought it was OK.’”
