(WOODLAND PARK, Colo.) — A Woodland Park City Councilmember has resigned after a petition to have her removed from council received enough signatures to proceed to a recall election.

Some voters in Woodland Park have been trying to recall the entire City Council as well as the Mayor Pro-Tem, citing a March 10, 2025 unanimous vote by City Council to overturn a voter-approved sales tax that was levied for the benefit of the Woodland Park School District (WPSD).

The March 10 decision enacted an emergency ordinance that reads as follows:

“It has come to the Council’s attention that imminent action by the Woodland Park School Board is directly aimed at impairing the prerogative of this Council to act in the best interests of City voters with respect to the tax referenced in the foregoing section, all for the benefit of a single charter school in the District. Consequently, an emergency exists; this ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of public property, safety and public health. In particular, this ordinance must take effect immediately upon passage in order to prevent subversion of the interests of every single city voter and taxpayer in the City of Woodland Park to interests of a single charter school and to prevent City taxpayers from being willfully leveraged by the School Board in the artless manner proposed.”

City Council voted unanimously in March to repeal the 1.09% sales tax, and WPSD subsequently announced in May that it would be cutting staff for the 2025-26 school year due to the lost revenue from the sales tax changes.

In response to City Council’s actions, a group of local voters sought to petition for the recall of the entire City Council and the Mayor Pro-Tem, Catherine Nakai. On Monday, May 12, the Woodland Park City Clerk announced that the recall petition for the Mayor Pro-Tem had fallen short by 50 signatures–only receiving 507 of the 577 required.

Petitions were also recently submitted to recall Councilmembers Carrol Harvey, Jeffrey Geer, and Steve Smith, but only Harvey’s petition gathered enough signatures. On Tuesday, May 13, the City announced Harvey was stepping down.

“Councilmember Harvey has served the City of Woodland Park with dedication and conviction for many years,” the City said in a press release. “A veteran of the United States Army and a steadfast community leader, Councilmember Harvey brought a deep sense of duty and service to her role in city government. Her leadership, insight, and passion for public service have left a lasting impact on the City of Woodland Park.”

Councilmember Harvey shared a message for the community:

“I am very appreciative of the opportunity to serve the community by providing my experience and expertise to the incoming City Council in 2024. At this point in time, I believe all Council members, including the latest appointee, are prepared to govern with confidence and care for our city.”

The City of Woodland Park said City Council would follow the appropriate procedures outlined in the city charter to address the council vacancy in the coming weeks.