Colorado small town abandoned after all elected officials resign, water concerns grow

A tiny municipality successful Colorado has been declared abandoned by the authorities aft its remaining elected officials resigned, starring its troubled h2o strategy to go a "health hazard" to its residents, according to authorities officials.

The bureau of the Colorado Secretary of State said the determination was made this week aft a nationalist proceeding showed that "the Town of Hartman had nary Board of Trustees oregon Town Clerk, was incapable to clasp a municipality election, and owned infrastructure captious for the attraction oregon transportation of h2o to residents."

"Importantly, not determining that the Town of Hartman is abandoned arsenic contemplated by § 31-3-201(1)(b), C.R.S. (2026), would permission the residents successful further ineligible limbo during a wellness hazard, with nary authorization to behaviour business, clasp elections, oregon hole their h2o infrastructure truthful that cleanable h2o tin beryllium delivered to the municipality residents," Deputy Secretary of State Andrew Kline wrote successful an abandonment order. "Abandonment is the lone ineligible mechanics successful Colorado statute that creates an avenue for residents of the country to person cleanable water."

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The municipality of Hartman, Colo., connected Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.  (Denver Post via Getty Images)

Hartman, which has a colonisation of 30 successful southeast Colorado, saw its 3 progressive trustees resign successful January a time aft a brawl erupted betwixt 4 women pursuing a committee of trustees meeting, according to The Denver Post.

"Our information was much important than having a government," Pam Packer, 1 of the trustees who resigned, told the newspaper, which besides reported that the politician resigned successful October and that Hartman antecedently was grappling with embezzlement allegations and restraining orders.

Kline said successful the abandonment bid that successful mid-June, "Ms. Jessie Simmons, a self-attested resident, landowner, and elector of the Town of Hartman, submitted a written exertion to the Secretary of State for determination of abandonment for the Town of Hartman alleging that the municipality does not person a committee of trustees oregon municipality clerk, is incapable to clasp an election, and owns and operates h2o infrastructure needed to dainty and present h2o to residents."

"Ms. Simmons further asserted that arsenic of clip of her application, the Town of Hartman had lacked chlorine successful its h2o for implicit 1 period and the h2o was not potable and 'smells horrible.’ She stated that the Town of Hartman had been nether an bid to boil h2o for months," helium wrote.

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Former Hartman committee subordinate Velma Cooper and her husband, Mark, beryllium astatine their location successful Hartman, Colo., connected Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Denver Post via Getty Images)

At a proceeding connected July 13 , Eric Bergman, the manager of the Division of Local Government for the Department of Local Affairs, "testified that helium has determination managers passim the state, and 1 successful Southeast Colorado that has worked extensively with the Town of Hartman for the past 5 oregon 6 years," according to Kline.

"Mr. Bergman besides testified that since 2022, DOLA representatives person been successful the Town of Hartman implicit 30 times helping with elections, turnover, recalls, resignations, budgets, audits, assistance administration, and grooming of caller officials. In January of 2026, DOLA received letters of resignation from each of the town's then-Trustees. Since the resignation of these elected officials, nary authorities officials oregon authorities stay successful the Town of Hartman," the bid stated .

"There are nary authorities officials successful the Town of Hartman who are authorized to o.k. contracts, walk funds, name replacements, certify elections, oregon marque decisions regarding the Town of Hartman's h2o system. Mr. Bergman testified determination is besides nary clerk oregon governing assemblage to call, conduct, oregon certify a municipal election," it continued.

"According to Mr. Bergman, the Town of Hartman is facing a nationalist wellness threat. Mr. Bergman testified that the Town of Hartman has been connected a boil advisory since past October 2025, and the h2o presently needs investigating and chlorine. The h2o vessel is compromised and needs repair oregon replacement," Kline besides wrote successful the order. "There is nary 1 operating the h2o strategy astatine this time. DOLA, on with the Colorado Department of Health and Environment had antecedently provided grants for much than $1 cardinal to the Town of Hartman to enactment connected the h2o system. Those funds were reimbursement-based. However, without authorities officials, the Town is incapable to participate immoderate contracts that would alteration it to entree the assistance funds."

Power lines enactment First Street successful Hartman, Colo., connected Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Denver Post via Getty Images)

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The bureau of Colorado’s Secretary of State said that pursuing the abandonment order, " All existing streets, avenues, and alleys antecedently located wrong the abandoned municipality that are not owned by a 3rd enactment shall beryllium vested successful in the Board of County Commissioners of Prowers County," and that "Ownership of h2o infrastructure captious for the attraction oregon transportation of h2o to residents shall beryllium vested successful Prowers County, which shall transportation said infrastructure to an entity whose superior intent is h2o attraction oregon delivery."