Greeley Deserves Better faces new hurdle after ‘dark money’ accusations ...Saudi Arabia

After turning in just under 9,000 signatures for a bid to bring a funding mechanism for west Greeley’s Catalyst project to the ballot, the citizens’ initiative group Greeley Deserves Better may have to address a campaign finance complaint.

Greeley Forward, a pro-Catalyst group officially formed on Wednesday, filed a formal complaint detailing what it claimed to be deceptive tactics by a California-based “dark money” group that partnered with Greeley Deserves Better as the group collected signatures.

The complaint alleges that With Many Hands has illegally spent thousands of dollars on political advertising by not registering with the city, not disclosing its funding sources and not including the advertising and political disclosures required by law.

“A dark money group known as With Many Hands has repeatedly violated campaign finance requirements, including committee registration and disclosure of expenditures,” said Chris Biell, a former Colorado deputy attorney general and former Colorado deputy secretary of state. Biell prepared the complaint.

Donkle, who filed the complaint with the city clerk, claims that Greeley Deserves better allegedly received $9,500 in paid Facebook and Instagram ads that were run by With Many Hands as well as an advertised $10,000 paid political organizer position posted by the group – all without a single required registration, disclosure or financial report filed with the city of Greeley.

The Tribune was made aware of the formation of Greeley Forward on Tuesday afternoon when the Water Valley Company’s Community Outreach Vice President Dennis Houston connected reporters with Greenlight Strategy principal Bill Rigler, who is the media contact for Greeley Forward. The Water Valley Company is owned by Martin Lind, the developer of the Catalyst project.

“It’s time we shine a light on who’s really behind this and why they’re trying to overturn decisions made right here in Greeley, by Greeley’s elected leaders, and for the benefit of Greeley residents,” Greeley resident and the registered agent for Greeley Forward Tom Donkle said in a news release.

The Greeley Deserves Better initiative, which began in early July, was formed by Pam Bricker, the former executive director of the Greeley Downtown Development Authority, and Dan Wheeler of Wheeler Properties, Inc. On Wednesday afternoon, neither Bricker nor Wheeler were aware of the complaint, which was filed Tuesday.

But on Wednesday evening, Wheeler released a statement acknowledging they partnered with the group while dismissing the concern of the complaint.

“While we engaged a paid signature gathering firm as insurance to meet our deadline in just 33 days, the real story is the remarkable volunteer effort,” Wheeler said in a release. “Over 50 unpaid volunteers collected the majority of these signatures because they believe Greeley deserves better than a billion-dollar deal that puts taxpayers on the hook for unlimited financial risk while guaranteeing millions in profits to a private developer.”

Greeley Deserves Better hopes to bring the ordinance approving the initial funding mechanism for the Catalyst project to the ballot this November, following opposition from residents who felt the $1.1 billion project should have been brought to a vote. Because the city won’t raise any taxes for the project, city officials have said they were not required to take it before voters.

The Catalyst project consists of an entertainment district on the west side of Greeley that will include a luxury hotel, waterpark and a new hockey arena for the Colorado Eagles Hockey team, as well as youth hockey. It will also include retail space and a mobility hub that to help ease traffic in the area.

City Manager Raymond Lee said the project is expected to begin bringing in $13 million per year by 2028 and as much as $350 million in total by 2065. Additionally, the project is expected to provide 2,480 temporary jobs and, once construction is completed, 1,200 permanent jobs.

“When we look at the essence of this project for us as a community, one of the key things that we look at overall is: One, how are we enhancing the quality of life for people in our community, and how are we creating that community vitality overall? And how are we as an organization investing in that?” Lee said during a media roundtable last week. “When this project first started, it wasn’t about the Colorado Eagles. It wasn’t about hotels. It was not about that. Those first meetings regarding this project were about how to grow west Greeley.”

Though the project will involve multiple components that will require council ordinances and approvals, the initiative is targeting Ordinance 2025-15, which the city council passed in May. This ordinance allowed the city to temporarily lease 46 city buildings to secure a loan of $115 million, while keeping full ownership and making lease payments with existing revenue.

Greeley Deserves Better will have to wait up to 15 business days for the city clerk to verify the 8,993 petition signatures they collected. If they collected at least 4,586 valid signatures, the city council will decide whether to send the issue to the ballot or repeal the ordinance immediately.

City officials have noted repealing the ordinance would not affect the city’s obligation to pay back the $115 million.

This did not sit well with volunteers for the initiative, who felt city officials were ignoring and disregarding their input by continuing with the project.

“We’re turning in 8,994 signatures from Greeley voters, people who believe that the public should have a voice before a billion dollars in public money is spent,” Greeley resident Morgan Uttleman said. “We’re here because the five members of the city council chose not to give voters that chance. Despite all the civic engagement, the city is still moving forward with the project as if our voice doesn’t matter.”

If Greeley Forward’s complaint is found to be true by the city clerk, who has 15 business days to make that determination, Greeley Deserves Better will have 10 business days to correct the issue or potentially face punitive fines equal to five times the amount With Many Hands contributed.

“We call on the city clerk to levy the harshest penalties possible for the activity we documented in the complaint,” Biell said.

When asked to comment about the complaint at a news conference yesterday, Greeley Deserves Better volunteers firmly refused to provide any comment or take questions about the complaint.

“This is our day. We made our statement with our petition,” Greeley resident Mary Monahan said while speaking over reporters.

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