The Silt Board of Trustees unanimously voted Monday to terminate Town Manager Jim Mann’s contract, more than a month after placing him on paid administrative leave following employment-related complaints and an investigation. 

Mann was placed on leave in July after trustees directed Denver-based Investigations Law Group to investigate complaints against him. The board also appointed Town Administrator Jeff Layman as interim town manager while the investigation was underway.

The Post Independent attempted to reach out to the Town of Silt, Town Attorney Michael Sawyer and Investigations Law Group for additional information about the investigation but did not receive responses. Mann also did not respond to a request for comment.

The action followed an executive session during the board’s Monday meeting.

After returning to open session, trustees discussed Mann’s continued employment with the town. 

Trustees waited to see if Mann or his attorney would join the meeting via Zoom. Neither appeared, and the board proceeded with its discussion.

“I don’t know that there’s any way to bring Jim back under the current circumstances,” Hanrahan said. “I don’t know how we make that work, and I don’t know that it’s in the best interest of the town, its residents, its staff, ourselves, the organization as a whole to do so. I am approaching this from a mindset of separation because I don’t know how you rebuild this.”

Trustee Jerry Beifert agreed, saying he believed the relationship was beyond repair.

“I don’t see how you can, it’s beyond repair. I think we only have one option,” he said. “I just don’t think it’s going to work for either us or the employees to bring him back.”

Trustees Alex Sanchez, Kim Inglehart, Chris Classen and Justin Brintnall echoed the sentiments, citing the town’s leadership needs and what they believed was in the community’s best interest. 

“After reviewing all the facts and identifying potential courses forward, the separation of convenience is the separation I’m currently considering as the best path forward,” Sanchez said. 

Under the termination, Mann will receive severance in exchange for signing a waiver acknowledging the end of his employment with the town. 

“I’ve been through a lot of HR issues in my professional day job and this is certainly the hardest one by a wide margin,” Hanrahan said. 

Hanrahan moved to terminate Mann’s contract, which passed unanimously.