The four candidates named in a negative flier mailed to residents of Milliken responded this week. The flier made various accusations against each candidate. Ted Chavez responded to claims about a past relationship while mayor, saying it was public knowledge and not an issue at the time. Katy Burack responded that the flier serves no purpose. Reid Hobler said claims about purchasing a water tap for his wife's business were untrue. Elizabeth Austin said the flier caused collateral damage to families and businesses in town.

1. Monday, June 13, 2016 Text Size
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Candidates respond to flier
Written by Matt Lubich
Thursday, 24 March 2016 01:17
By Zant Reyez/The Johnstown Breeze
MILLIKEN – The four candidates named in a flier mailed out late last week to residents responded this week to the comments made
about them in it.
The flier titled “Milliken Voter Alert” names town board candidates Ted Chavez, Reid Hobler, Elizabeth Austin and Katy Burack, who
together sent out a campaign flier promoting their candidacy and providing background on each of them earlier this month.
The flier mailed late last week said that while mayor, Chavez, “carried on a sexual relationship with the town clerk opening the door for
lawsuits not only from the involved individual but from other employees who might feel they did not receive benefits afforded this clerk.” It
also said Chavez, who has served on the board on two previous occasions, had never completed either term.
In a written statement this week, Chavez said, “The letter was sent as a distraction on the real issues of our community. I was Mayor from
1994-2001, I resigned the last few months of my term because of a personal matter. I ran for Trustee in 2006 and served until November
of 2013. I retired in November 2013 and moved to N.M. That is why I resigned my Trustee position.
“The relationship over 20 years ago didn’t seem relevant back then, why now?” Chavez’s statement read. “I wasn’t her supervisor, didn’t
have input on performance appraisals, didn’t decide on any raises. The mayor and trustees don’t supervise employees. We only
supervise the town administrator and department heads.
“I won’t comment any further on this out of respect for the other person.”
Chavez said in an interview this week that the relationship in question was public knowledge and he wasn’t approached by any trustees
or staff members at that time with concerns about it.
One of those trustees would have been Tom Farmer, who served on the board as a trustee for a period of time in the 1990s while Chavez
was mayor.
Farmer said in an interview this week he never said anything to Chavez back then about the relationship.
Regarding Burack, the flier points out that her husband served as town administrator and “either failed or neglected to file reports about
Milliken’s reverse osmosis plant being out of compliance.” The flier said the town now faces substantial penalties and fines from the state
because of this; the cost of which will be borne by Milliken taxpayers.
Katy Burack said this week, “The main thing I would say is that, that (flier) has no purpose in this Election. I think that this proves to me
why I’m running: To get rid of negative people and their negative voice.”
The flier accuses Hobler, who previously served on the board, of purchasing a water tap for Milliken Animal Clinic, which it calls “his
business,” just prior to a rate increase that was not public knowledge but was known to the board members. It also states Hobler has
recently questioned other candidates and board members about conflicts of interest.
Hobler said in an interview this week, “What was written about me is 100 percent wrong.” He said the building which houses Milliken
Animal Clinic is owned entirely by his wife.
“For somebody to attack my wife’s business is just wrong,” he said. He said his wife is discussing whether she should pursue legal action
with her attorney.
Hobler said the business was started six years ago, with rates going up two years ago. “I don’t know how that timeline works,” he said.
“The timelines don’t add up as far as getting a water tap fee for our business.”
News Candidates respond to flier
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In an interview this week, Austin said, “There’s a lot of collateral damage unfortunately.” She said the author of the flier didn’t think about
the impact it would have on families and businesses in town.
She said there’s collateral damage to the other candidates as well, as she’s heard folks are not voting for people because residents think
it’s this candidate or this one (who distributed the flier).
“This very, very much concerns me,” she said.
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