Denver, CO
Report rips Denver Fire Department commanders for use of comp time:
A blistering, 26 page report on the use of comp or flex time by Denver’s fire chief and his top seven commanders calls the years-long practice a violation of Denver’s Revised Municipal Code, “an organizational failing” and a “problematic practice.” Mayor Mike Johnston said after the report was released Tuesday night he was asking Fire Chief Desmond Fulton to repay some of the vacation time Fulton has cashed out since 2023, and the mayor said what happened was “A troubling and systemic misuse of Flex Time.”
The investigative report, authored by former U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, was prompted by a CBS News Colorado Investigation in April which revealed Fulton and his top commanders were awarding themselves comp time for attending everything from firefighter memorials to retirement ceremonies to community events, then using the accrued comp time for vacations, allowing Fulton and his executive staff to then cash out unused vacation time at the end of each year. The report notes that Fulton cashed in unused vacation days between 2021 and 2023 for about $42,000. For the same time period, two division chiefs were paid $25,000 and $27,000 for unused vacation days while other command staff members received between $11,000 to $19,000 for unused vacation time during the same three years.
“All current Command Staff members ‘banked’ and later used (comp time hours) instead of using available vacation leave,” said the report. “They all received larger cash payouts for unused vacation leave than they otherwise would have. All of them engaged and benefitted financially from this practice.”
However, the report authors said none of the department commanders “fully exploited it to maximize payouts for unused vacation hours.” They did not intend to violate the law, said the report, but “this practice did violate the Denver Revised Municipal Code,” which prohibits fire department executive staff from collecting additional compensation for working extra hours.
In a written statement Tuesday night, Fire Chief Desmond Fulton wrote, “I take full responsibility for continuing a problematic timekeeping practice that violated city policy.”
While Fulton and his top staff were cashing in unused vacation days, they prohibited rank and file firefighters from doing the same thing. The report calls that a “double standard” that was “contradictory, appeared hypocritical and … unjustified.”
The report says the comp time practice that is now being halted started 13 years ago by a previous chief who wanted department commanders to be able to show how many extra hours they were working. The report says that DFD’s “insular culture” allowed the practice to go on for more than a decade.
“Tracking extra hours turned into banking extra hours and using them instead of vacation leave,” said the report.
The practice was stopped in April immediately after the CBS News Colorado reports on the comp time abuse.
The report is most critical of Fulton, who the report says, “Was the most assiduous user of Kelly Day/Flex time. He repeatedly coded blocks of four to five days off in a row as Kelly Day/Flex time used instead of coding that time off as vacation or sick leave. He also used more Kelly day/Flex time than anyone else,” according to the report. “He had the highest number of hours paid out as unused vacation leave.”
The investigators verified what CBS News Colorado previously reported — that Fulton was essentially getting paid to attend firefighter memorials, dinners at firehouses and community events. Critics said those duties should have been viewed as part of his $230,000 a year job.
Troyer’s report reviewed hundreds of pages of records and 37 interviews were conducted. He said various defenses of the comp time practice were offered but were “unpersuasive” and despite assertions that what was done was “best practice” he wrote that “we were unable to identify any fire departments that permit the use of compensatory or flex time in lieu of vacation hours for salaried, exempt executives in the same manner as DFD command staff used Kelly day/Flex time.”
The report zeroes in on a 2022 national firefighter memorial in Maryland that Fulton attended with two of his command staff members. For the weekend, Fulton awarded himself 19 hours of comp time then used those hours to take three days off.
“Chief Fulton in essence converted the 19 hours he spent at the memorial into 19 hours of saved vacation leave for which he was paid,” reads the report.
In a statement Tuesday evening, Denver Manager of Safety Armando Saldate said he would review the new report to see if disciplinary action against top fire department commanders was warranted.
The report recommends Fulton and his staff no longer be allowed to work four 10 hour days and that command staff should undergo mandatory training each year on the prohibitions against accruing and using comp time.
The report also notes that what has been happening creates the future possibility of additional monetary benefits for Fulton, his deputy chief and six division chiefs, as the vacation cashout amounts are included in a DFD member’s base salary which is then used as the basis for calculating his or her post-retirement pension payments. The report says the impact on pension payments cannot be calculated until the command staff members leave the department.
Denver, CO
New report finds Denver metro home buyers and sellers experiencing ‘unattainability fatigue’
Higher mortgage rates are discouraging buyers and sellers, and slowing market activity along the way across the Denver metro, according to a Denver Metro Association of Realtors May market trends report.
“There’s a lot of fatigue going on, and specifically due to interest rates, Denver has seen a pretty typical 6% average price appreciation, but the last couple of years it’s been relatively flat. However, that’s just kind of made up for the fact that during the pandemic we saw huge appreciation gains,” said Heather O’Leary, a realtor and a member of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors market trends committee.
Watch more of Micah Smith’s interview with Heather O’Leary on the current housing market in the video below.
New report finds Denver metro home buyers and sellers experiencing ‘unattainability fatigue’
O’Leary said from May 2017 to May 2026, the median sale price grew from $382,000 to $615,000, a 6% average annual increase that mirrors the market’s long-run historical norm.
“A median home in the Denver metro area could cost 87% more than it did in 2020 and so buyers are exhausted. That’s where we get the term affordability or unattainability fatigue, because it’s just difficult for them to jump into something. And then sellers are honestly exhausted as well, because they don’t want to have to drop their prices,” O’Leary said.
According to the report, closed sales fell nearly 7% year-over-year, attached-home sales dropped almost 18%, and new listings declined more than 17%.
However, the report found the luxury market is outperforming the broader market.
“Luxury buyers are definitely less affected by interest rates, and we’ve seen 3.1% increase year-over-year in pending sales, and about 5% in closed sales, and that’s really because luxury buyers are less affected by interest rates, because they have more flexibility, potentially more cash and equity in a home,” O’Leary said.
The DMAR Market Trends Committee releases reports monthly, including data for Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties.
Denver7
Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Micah Smith
Micah Smith anchors Denver7’s 4 and 5 p.m. newscasts, and reports on issues impacting all of Colorado’s communities. She specializes in telling stories centered on social equity and hearing voices that are unheard or silenced. If you’d like to get in touch with Micah, fill out the form below to send her an email.
When Denver Central Market opened at 2669 Larimer Street 10 years ago, the food hall was a harbinger of RINo’s revitalization, serving as an anchor destination for residents and visitors alike.
Today, the space looks to be in the midst of a seismic transition. Over the past week, three of the vendors occupying prime real estate in the 12,000 square-foot facility have exited, leaving behind empty shelves, empty counters and, in some cases, hard feelings.
The Curio bar is now temporarily closed. Shelves once full of spirits and mixers sit as empty as a frat house liquor cabinet after rush week; the long tables and stools have no drinkers to fill them. Directly across from the bar are the empty glass cases of the Butchers at RiNo, which once stored large cuts of beef, pork and chicken that customers could either order sandwiches made from on-site or take home to cook themselves.
And the long counter at High Point Creamery, occupying the space connecting the Crema coffee shop to Izzio Bakery, now lies bare, with exposed wires and broken drywall as the only evidence of its former occupant.
While there’s still plenty of activity at the other food stalls that call Denver Central Market home, all this begs the question: What the hell is going on? The food-hall’s management says it’s just part of the natural cycle of concepts entering and exiting as leases expire. Vendors, however, say they’re being pushed out.
“Changes in tenants are pretty typical for a Market/Food Hall and we’ve had very little over the past ten years,” reads a statement from Denver Central Market, delivered through a spokesperson, who notes that the exiting businesses were on 10-year leases that had expired. “But we are excited for what’s to come. News to follow.”
Vendors, however, tell a different story, accusing Denver Central Market owner Ken Wolf of pushing them out and generally making them feel unwelcome during their time at the space.
“After a decade of building High Point Creamery at Denver Central Market, we weren’t given a meaningful opportunity to continue operating there,” says High Point Creamery founder and CEO Erika Thomas. “Ken Wolf chose not to renew our lease and instead gave the space to Etai Barron of Izzio.”
Neither Denver Central Market nor representatives of Izzio have confirmed that Etai Barron is taking the space. But Thomas isn’t the only vendor to complain.
“I’d like to thank all my customers, employees, vendors, friends and family for helping Butchers at RiNo operate and almost flourish,” writes Butchers at RiNo owner and general manager Brent Ratliff. “I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this business that hopefully brought immense joy. It’s unfortunate property management didn’t make us feel welcome when we began, nor when we closed. Best of luck to everyone.”
Among the various allegations of heavy-handed management are instances of DCM ownership dictating the name and branding of new businesses entering the space, and even pushing back on products they chose to sell. Tenants have also cited confusing and expensive facility fees that all vendors must pay in addition to rent for shared services, such as table busing, security and maintenance services that they claim proved inadequate. Saying they fear legal action, some of the vendors who share these complaints request anonymity.
They have more specific concerns, too. On May 29, for instance, the building was temporarily closed to address an issue with the water, which vendors say was regularly not hot enough to pass health inspections, or was too low in pressure to be useful. According to city records, three in-progress Denver Department of Public Health & Environment complaints were filed against the facility May 28-29, but it is unclear if those are directly related to water problems.
According to sources, fingerpointing between DCM owner Wolf and the building’s owner, Eden Ventures, has turned this and other facility issues into a game of endless hot potato, leaving problems unresolved.
Wolf and chef Jeff Osaka — who operated the Sushi-Rama franchise in Denver, among other concepts — opened DCM in 2016 to great fanfare and customer traffic, filling a void in the then-nascent RiNo neighborhood. In 2019, Wolf sold the building occupied by Denver Central Market, along with other properties along the block, to Eden Ventures for a reported $55 million. Soon after the sale, the relationship between Wolf and Eden Ventures soured, with Wolf suing the new owners over lease-extension terms and, at one point posting signs at the food hall forbidding Eden employees from entering.
While Eden Ventures owns the building, Wolf still leases the space, and in turn leases the individual food and retail stalls to vendors. Of the 11 original vendors from a decade ago, only three are left: Izzio, Crema and Green Seed Market. Most of the concepts that have entered DCM since — including Tammen’s Fish Market, Lunchboxx, Vero, and Temper Chocolates and Confections — are companies in which Wolf has an ownership stake.
DCM management is rumored to be taking over the Curio bar space, which could reopen as soon as next week, and the Butcher in RiNo space also reportedly has an interested buyer. And whether or not Izzio replaces High Point Creamery, the owner of that venture is relieved to move on.
“Fortunately, High Point was never defined by a single location,” says Thomas. “Today we operate five locations, including our newest shop at McGregor Square. We’ve found fantastic partners who value what we bring to the table, and we’re excited about what’s ahead.”
Denver Central Market is located at 2669 Larimer Street and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit denvercentralmarket.com.
Denver, CO
Defensive lineman Jordan Miller has a tough battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster
As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2026 season, they have a lot of positives going for the franchise. One of them would be their defensive line. Once a position group with a lot of questions marks, it has ascended to one of the best units in the National Football League over the past few seasons.
The departure of John Franklin-Myers in free agency may have an impact on the group’s performance for the upcoming gridiron campaign. Though the Broncos are hoping a combination of young players they have drafted over the past several seasons can offset the loss of Franklin-Myers.
One player hoping to make the squad is defensive lineman Jordan Miller. At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos signed Southern Methodist standout and gave him one of the biggest signing bonuses from that cycle. For the past two seasons, Miller has been a practice squad player for the Broncos. After two years learning the ropes, is Miller finally ready to earn a spot on Denver’s final 53-man roster? Let’s discuss.
Age: 26 | Experience: 2 | College: SMU (via Miami) | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 307 pounds
Arm Length: 33-3/8” | Bench: 27 reps | 40-Yard Dash: 5.18 seconds
Jordan Miller’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
Several years ago, I highlighted Miller’s strengths in our 2024 roster review series. His strength and size at the point of attack are enticing. Additionally, he boasts a tremendous wingspan on the interior which routinely gave opposing offensive linemen in his collegiate career fits.
The physical traits Miller has are certainly promising. However, entering his third year with the Broncos, he faces steep competition in order to make the final 53-man roster. That’s no fault of his own—it’s just the reality of the situation—Denver’s defensive line is stacked.
I believe the franchise will keep six defensive lineman in the rotation once again this season. Having six players in their trenches will help keep the rotation fresh and give them a shot to be at their best. Zach Allen, Sai’vion Jones, Tyler Onyedim, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike appear to be the favorites set to make the squad. With that in mind, it is hard to see a viable path for Miller to make the squad.
Given the aforementioned, it seems like Miller will once again be a practice squad candidate for the Broncos. In the event that something were to happen to Jones or Roach, I could see Miller getting called up to the active roster to help handle spot duty reps on the interior of Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s defensive front.
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New report finds Denver metro home buyers and sellers experiencing ‘unattainability fatigue’
