Cheyenne City Council: The Mayor Gets To Decide On Appointments

The Cheyenne City Council on Monday afternoon issued a statement on Mayor-Elect Patrick Collins' decision not to retain Cheyenne Police Chief Brian Kozak and Cheyenne Fire Rescue Chief Greg Hoggatt.

Here is the statement:

''Many of us on City Council have been asked our opinion of Mayor Elect Collins decision not to reappoint both the Fire Chief and the Police Chief.

In the past, Cheyenne citizens have voted to retain a strong mayoral form of government. Under this style of government, the Mayor is authorized, through State Statute 15-3-204, to appoint or remove Department Heads. In Cheyenne, those positions are reappointed and approved every two years.

Changes in Department Heads are part of the process when an administration changes. In the past, Planning Directors, Parks and Rec Directors, Attorneys and Public Works Directors have not been retained by an incoming Mayor.

Appointment or reappointment of Department Directors is the prerogative of a Mayor. Whether we, as City Council members, agree with the decision or not, ultimately the Mayor gets to decide whom they want to work with and whom they wish to serve under them. Consequently, it is not our intention to interfere with a process that has historically occurred with the change of past administrations.

As a final note, we would like to thank both Chief Kozak and Chief Hoggatt. Their service to the City of Cheyenne and their efforts to make Cheyenne a safer community for all of us has been sincerely appreciated.

Signed,

Dr. Mark Rinne – City Council President

Jeff White – City Council Vice President

Rocky Case – City Councilman Ward III

Bryan Cook – City Councilman Ward II

Ken Esquibel – City Councilman Ward III

Mike Luna – City Councilman Ward III

Scott Roybal – City Councilman Ward I

Dicky Shanor – City Councilman Ward II

Dr. Michelle Aldrich – Elected City Councilwoman Ward III

Richard Johnson – Elected City Councilman Ward III

Tom Segrave -Elected City Councilman Ward II"

Kozak was appointed to head the Cheyenne Police Department by former Mayor Rick Kaysen in 2010 and was retained by outgoing Mayor Marian Orr, who was elected in 2016.

He is Cheyenne's longest-ever serving Police Chief. Hoggatt was picked by Orr as Fire Cheif in 2017.