Expenses show luxury

City manager: Spending pays off for Lakewood

Charley Able, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 7, 2005 at midnight

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LAKEWOOD - City Manager Mike Rock dines well, stays at fancy hotels and outfits his city-owned pickup truck to suit his tastes all at taxpayer expense.

Rock's spending, which he says is more than offset by the economic development it brings, comes at a time when Lakewood is considering asking voters to approve a tax increase to solve persistent budget problems.

When he travels to Las Vegas for conferences, Rock stays at the five-diamond-rated Bellagio and the Venetian, which claims to "redefine luxury" and urges guests to "surround yourself in casual elegance."

In Phoenix, Rock stays at the Biltmore Hotel and Spa, the self-proclaimed "Jewel of the Desert" and "favorite of celebrities and U.S. Presidents"; and in Washington, D.C., he patronizes the Churchill Hotel, which offers "uncompromising comfort."

Rock's expense account records reviewed by the Rocky Mountain News show that since 2002, his tab for entertainment and meals has come to nearly $7,500.

"In most, if not all of those instances, those are meals and activities related to economic development efforts that I have been involved in. I take the lead in the city to do economic development activity. Those involve meals and conferences," Rock said. "They have resulted in projects for the city whether, it is Belmar or Mills (shopping centers)."

Rock, who has been city manager since 1992 and is paid $187,000 a year, said he has cut his expenses by at least 40 percent during the past two years.

But when asked if that includes his expenses charged to the account of his executive assistant, Carole Gosnell, Rock said, "I don't know."

The meals Rock charged to the city include a $414 tab at a Saratoga Raceway restaurant in Ozone Park, N.Y., for two Belmar developers, their wives, Rock's wife and the father of one of the developers.

Taxpayers even bought dinner for a tow-truck driver who was hauling Rock's city-owned vehicle after a breakdown.

Rock's records show meals at upscale Denver restaurants, including visits to Japon, where his tabs were as high as $187, meals of up to $224 at the trendy Coral Room, $180 at Jax Fish House, $189 at Portager, as much as $143 at Solera Restaurant, $171 at Mizuna, $116 at Dixons Downtown Grill, $164 at Restaurant Kody in Evergreen, $116 at 240 Union in Lakewood, $114 at Mel's Bar and Grill and $131 at AIX.

Few of the receipts Rock has provided the city include details of what was consumed and some have no mention of what, if any, guests were present.

Mayor Steve Burkholder said Rock's spending on travel and entertainment pay off for the city.

"I am looking at it as a return on investment. I guess sometimes part of the action is being where the action is," Burkholder said Friday, referring to the expensive hotels and restaurants where Rock confers with developers and others.

"We as a city, I will tell you, have drastically curtailed our travel budget," Burkholder said.

Although he generally defended Rock's spending, Burkholder said there are some concerns.

Lakewood is expecting a budget shortfall of about $8 million over the next two years.

"I don't think it is a budget- breaking thing, but I do think we need to sit down and discuss the (bigger picture)" Burkholder said.

Burkholder also said he and Rock are discussing the city manager's use of a city vehicle.

Rock's contract provides him with "personal use" of a city- owned vehicle, currently a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado worth $30,000.

City Attorney Roger Noonan said the contract allows the vehicle to be driven by anyone Rock wishes, and its use is unlimited.

Noonan's comments came after it was revealed that Rock's wife, Patricia L. "Trish" Layton, was driving the truck in February when she caused a four-car collision near Colorado Springs that cost taxpayers nearly $9,000.

Rock wrecked his previous city-owned pickup, a 2001 Silverado, in September 2002, when he hit an elk on a highway near Gunnison while on a personal trip.

That accident cost the city $13,309 in repairs to the truck plus nearly $3,000 for rental vehicles Rock drove while the truck was in the shop.

Rock and his wife own three private vehicles. But fuel records show Rock prefers to use the city's truck, even on frequent trips to the family retreat near Westcliffe and for hunting trips in western Colorado.

Since 2002, Rock has spent more than $9,500 for fuel, both on his city credit card and for gas from the city's fuel pumps. His expense-account records show that on most occasions, he filled up on the way to his weekend home in Westcliffe and on trips to the Western Slope, New Mexico and other out-of-state destinations.

Just 16 days after his newest Silverado first appeared on city fuel logs, Rock's expense account shows he purchased four new all-terrain tires for the brand-new vehicle at a cost of $773.

Those tires cost a bit less than the $820 taxpayers paid for new tires to outfit his previous vehicle, the then-8-month-old 2001 Silverado. Rock said he turned the replaced tires back to the city for use on other vehicles.

Rock also used his city credit card to buy new speakers for the Silverado in March 2003, spending $188 for the speakers and $269.31 to have them installed.

"I am in dialog with Mike on what 'personal use' means," Burkholder said. "And we have not come to closure on that yet."

ablec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5020

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