| LovelandPolitics.com |
| McWhinney's "Magnificent Seven" McWhinney counts on 7 council members who will reliably support most any request regardless of how outrageous it is. Many people have asked LovelandPolitics staff to identify the McWhinney pawns on Loveland's City Council. Below are the faces and names of the 7 Loveland public officials responsible for the 25 year McWhinney tax deal and/or the subsiquent modifications that abdicate the city's elected constitutional authority to McWhinney. They serve as McWhinney's voices in city hall. |
| Loveland Mayor Gene Pielin An angry defender of McWhinney. Works selling landscaping and shrubs to developers and never misses a chance to impress a potential client with his city position or title. A member of the 'Old Guard' he has a long history of showing open contempt for the democratic process and speaking to residents in a condesending manner. Known to have secretly planned public meetings and issues regarding city business with McWhinney in private encounters and correspondence. |
| Walt Skowron Often asks tough questions but seldom misses a chance to support McWhinney's endless favor requests with his vote. Said to become "giddy and excited" at the sight of Chad McWhinney according to city staff |
| Walt Skowron Often asks tough questions but seldom misses a chance to support McWhinney's endless favor requests with his vote. Said to become "giddy and excited" at the sight of Chad McWhinney according to city staff |
| Larry Heckel Part of the council's "Old Gaurd" Heckel has defended even McWhinney's most controversial requests to the city. A longtime developer, Heckel makes no bones about his intentions to support any development at any cost to the community or adjacent property owners. |
| David Clark Another member of the "Old Guard" and Mayor Pro Tem, Clark wants to run for Mayor if Pielin resigns in November. Clark uses one criteria on deciding all development issues - "does it pencil out for the applicant or myself." Inhereted his father's construction firm in the 70's and works largely on projects for the city, his church or his family. He sees conflicts of interest as business opportunities. |
| Carol Johnson Couldn't get re-elected to Golden's City Council and moved to Loveland to walk into an uncontested council seat. A perpetual job applicant with McWhinney she is notriously quiet in public forums and loud in private sessions of the council. She once described herself as Loveland's "poster child" for the unemployed. She refused to meet constituents over the Staple Farm Issue but speaks with McWhinney on a regular basis on multiple city issues. |
| Daryl Klassen Former Larimer County Commissioner and originally an inquisitive coucnilman. Lost credibility when always supporting McWhinney and once stated, "McWhinney is beyond reproach" while attacking a colleague for asking McWhinney questions about a financial analysis they presented council. Met with McWhinney in secret to discuss public business issue. |
| Glenn Rousey Angrily defends himself against any question of his motives on council. While Rousey wasn't funded by McWhinney like Pielin and the other 'Old Guard' councilmen he hardly misses the chance to line their pockets with more tax dollars. Best described as sincere and well intentioned but over his head. Met with McWhinney in secret to discuss public city issue before meeting. |