Mayor taking leave of absence

Federal Heights leader was doorman at raided nude club

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

FEDERAL HEIGHTS - Three nights after police raided the all-nude club where he worked as a doorman, Dale Sparks told the City Council Tuesday night he is taking a leave of absence from his job as mayor immediately.

Sparks, who owns the Smokin' Mayor barbecue catering company, took a side job at Bare Essence a year ago. On Saturday night, about two dozen officers stormed the club while he was on duty.

Five dancers, the owner and the DJ were arrested on charges including prostitution and violating the city's adult entertainment code. Three dancers remain at large. Sparks was questioned but released without charges after telling a detective that he knew about no wrongdoing at the club.

After the raid, Sparks announced he would not work at Bare Essence for the remainder of his term, which ends in November 2007. And he has canceled plans to hold a flea market in its parking lot this summer.

On Tuesday, the seven-year mayor of Federal Heights told council he would not resign his office. But he said he would "recuse" himself of his official duties for 10 weeks. By then, he said, the investigation of the nightclub and the arraignments of those arrested should be over.

Sparks said most council members told him they supported his decision. But the woman who ran against him three years ago said he should resign.

"It gets old. It just simply gets old to continually have something like this going on," Sharon Richardson said.

Two years ago, the city manager was terminated after he got busted surfing Internet pornography at work, she said. Richardson also recalled about 18 years ago, when the police and fire chiefs were caught drinking on duty.

The council fired the police chief but refused to let the fire chief go, she said. Four council members and the mayor were recalled soon after.