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Longmont hires new Housing Authority executive director after controversy over warrantless searches

Posted at 2:00 PM, Jul 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-14 16:00:17-04

LONGMONT, Colo. – The City of Longmont has a new Housing Authority Executive Director nearly six months after former executive director Michael Reis resigned following a request from the board.

Jilian Baldwin will serve as the city’s new executive director, according to a statement from the Longmont Housing Board of Commissioners.

“After a nationwide search and recruitment process, we are confident we have found the best candidate to take the organization in a new direction,” the statement from the board read.

Reis’ resignation came in the form of a request from the chair of the board on Feb. 15.

When asked why Reis resigned, Wendell Picket said he could not “discuss personnel matters.”

When asked by Denver7 if the resignation had anything to do with warrantless searches, Pickett paused before again saying he could not discuss personnel matters.

Earlier this year, Reis refused to comment on warrantless searches that took place at a Longmont apartment complex last year.

Denver7 first broke the story of police using K-9s to search the Suites apartments in Longmont in May of 2017. The Suites are managed by the housing authority.

Residents reached out to Denver7 concerned their rights were being violated after they had received a letter telling them police and K-9s would be present during the searches.

After that story aired, the Longmont Police Department ended those searches, an outside investigation took place, and the city settled a lawsuit with the ACLU for $210,000

For now, the housing authority is "excited to move forward with the City of Longmont to meet the affordable housing needs of our community."