Juicy public comments on no Black History Month proclamation, Gold reprimand, ICE

The Colorado Springs City Council meeting on Jan. 27 would have been a quick and dry one were it not for a lineup of about a dozen community members who turned out to make public comment on the council’s denial of a proposed Black History Month proclamation, the formal reprimand of councilor Kimberly Gold, and concerns around Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Council declines Black History Month proclamation
Councilor Gold proposed a Black History Month proclamation to other councilors via email on Jan. 13. They had until end-of-day Jan. 16 to respond in favor or against, with five of nine members’ support needed to put the item on the agenda. The proclamation did not gather enough supporters to come to a vote. But, Gold said at the Jan. 27 meeting, while council had declined, Mayor Yemi Mobolade would issue a Black History Month proclamation. 

Angela Stevens, president of the NAACP Colorado Springs branch, said “I am here to offer comments on the denial of a proclamation for Black History Month. We as a community are repeatedly forced to endure attempts to erase the contributions of black and brown people of these United States. Why is that, when this country was built on the backs of black people?”

“I still have not heard a good reason why the city council has declined the Black History proclamation,” she said. Last year, Mayor Mobolade and the council signed a joint proclamation.

Shaun Walls said the lack of a proclamation this year is part of a pattern, including removing funding for a public Juneteenth celebration and reprimanding a black council member (Gold) for “stating plainly about what the public witnessed with our own eyes.” Gold was reprimanded for a breach of decorum over her comments at the Jan. 13 council meeting and on social media after councilor Dave Donelson walked out of the meeting saying he was offended by faith leaders’ comments critical of ICE. Walls called the reprimand “selective enforcement” of council rules, saying the same rules do not seem to apply to Donelson. “When decorum rules are only invoked against certain voices … then decorum stops being about professionalism and starts being about power,” he said. [Walls is a Pikes Peak Bulletin board member and regular column contributor. His public comments are his alone. – ed] 

Pastor Heather McDuffee stated her support for Black History Month and asked that council consider it for 2027. “In a moment of uncertainty and heightened anxiety in our broader community and our nation, this symbolic act carries particular weight, especially from our leaders,” she said. She made further remarks tying support of marginalized community members to the teachings of Jesus. 

Gold said she has been working with the City’s legislative services staff to create a list of observances honoring the rich diversity from Colorado Springs “military culture to our BIPOC populations” and get those observances on the calendar ahead of time. 

ICE and democratic process

Several speakers cited concerns over existing and potential future ICE actions in Colorado Springs, including one commenter who asked the council to consider a resolution similar to one passed earlier this month by the Aurora City Council condemning “unlawful and overreaching federal immigration enforcement.” 

Taylor Gray said, “I’m 40-something years old, born and raised here. I’m an introvert and I didn’t even know where the door to this building was, and I took the day off to come and speak to you… this is not political … this in an emergency, our democracy is under attack and you guys are playing political games … 

“It’s been a year-and-a-half since my neighbor was taken from me by ICE. We’re not talking about in Minnesota, I’m talking about on Fillmore…

“I need you to stand up…the world is watching.” 

Seth Palmer Harris questioned the council’s priorities as it spent time reprimanding Gold when there are “real, pressing issues,” including affordability, homelessness, parks preservation, public transit, veteran care and public safety. He acknowledged that the council is not paid well, and is asked to do a lot. “If it’s too much, no one is demanding that you carry on,” he said, adding he hoped that council members who deliver good results may be brought in via future election cycles. 

Mary Coleman said she has been part of the community for many years, but doesn’t usually come to council meetings. “I trust that you all do good work,” she said. Then she saw the recent meeting where Donelson walked out, and Gold was reprimanded. “I found that shocking; I found that disappointing. I came here today to look you in the face and tell you that’s how I felt.” Coleman then left the meeting. 

Councilor Bailey criticizes speaker
Councilmember Tom Bailey spoke after Coleman’s comments.  He said council members hear opinions every day – sometimes delivered politely, and sometimes not – and that a lot of the consideration that goes into a vote on the dais happens outside of meetings. 

Bailey said, “When people worry about whether they can see themselves on TV, that’s not the productive time for things to happen.” Earlier in the meeting, Gold had asked if the cameras were working. [If cameras aren’t working, remote viewers will not be able to access the meeting nor will the permanent video record exist. – ed]

“We had a very eloquent speaker stand up and tell us it’s important to listen to other people – and then she left. So why is that any different than the behavior that many of you are criticizing?” Bailey said.

Bailey appeared to be speaking about Coleman, who had just exited council chambers after making a public comment. Coleman, however, did not speak on the importance of listening. She spoke of her feelings of shock and disappointment at the Gold reprimand. Bailey endorsed the reprimand. 

Walls said from the audience that public comments happen at a time that is difficult for working people to attend and suggested making public comment times more accessible. 

Coleman later told the Bulletin after the meeting that she had stopped by to make the comments in “five minutes between work obligations.”

Another audience member called out that Bailey “gets paid to sit in that seat.” 

Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson then moved the meeting on to the next public commenter.

Other speakers noted that Councilor Dave Donelson’s walkout was not included in minutes of the Jan. 13 meeting at which it occurred, even though his actions were widely reported in the news. Council declined to amend the minutes. 

More information, including recordings and minutes of council meetings, are available on the Colorado Springs City Council Facebook page and on the City website.