By Jacob Richards
Lou Vallirio’s long and storied law enforcement career is coming to an end after 24 years as the Sheriff of Garfield County, and at Monday November 2, Garfield County Board of County Commissioners meeting we got a glimpse into what is coming, as Sheriff Lou Vallario proposed an early retirement incentive package for certain ranking positions within his administration.
Lou was in rare form, and arrived late. The BOCC rearranged the agenda to buy Lou some time, and when that failed they called a recess. Lou finally shows up sporting a grey hoodie with a pair of aviators hanging from them, bald head throwing glare, and the deep tan of a man that is running his sheriff’s office from his villa in tropical Bonaire.
He started out slow, he mis-spoke and leaked some information, information he would say even more explicitly later once he got going. He didn’t seem to want to be there, suffering from the sheriff equivalent of ‘senioritis.’
Then in the middle of his forty minutes, in front of the BOCC, he turned on, maybe the Adderall kicked in. He became animated, inspired even, like a man fighting for his wife’s early retirement package. Which of course he was.
Lou was asking the county for: $75,000 for three early retirement incentives, $93,000 in saved up paid-days-off (PDO) for three employees leaving at the end of the year, and $18,000 in severance for an employee whose position will be eliminated in 2027.
Lou’s crew provided numbers based “on an understanding,” that Undersheriff Colt Cornelius and Vallario’s wife Kim, the Garfield County Jail Commander, will be among those taking an early retirement incentive. A third is unnamed but was described as a “high level administrator” will also be taking an early retirement incentive.
Those taking the early retirement package will get $25,000 on their last paycheck or can opt for $25,000 paid into COBRA, a federal mandated fund to provide temporary healthcare for governmental employees after they leave the force. Initially the incentive package was the $25,000 payout plus six-months paid into COBRA for an additional estimated at $48,000 in health coverage for the early retirees. The SO budgeted for two of the three early retirees opting into the COBRA coverage, but the BOCC stripped that from the deal.
Criteria for this early retirement is very limited. 1) 55 or older. 2) 15 years with GCSO. 3) Currently working at least 30-hours a week, six-months a year. 4) Sergeant or higher for at least 10 years. Only four employees were eligible under these criteria, and three of them are opting for the deal.
When speaking about $93,000 in PDO pay, Cathy Dalla, GCSO Administration Commander, counted, “five employees” that they know will be leaving at the end of the year, “with significant PDO built up.” Yet the invoices, provided the BOCC only list three employees leaving at the end of the year. Where are the funds for the other two employees’ unused PDO coming from? Vallario didn’t disclose, and the BOCC didn’t ask if the $93,000 in unpaid PDO is for for the three administrators taking the early retirement incentive.
PDO payouts can add up fast. “For example, we just had a long-time employee resign/retire, and we had to payout almost $17,000 (in unused PDO)” said Vallario, almost certainly referring to former SPEAR Sergeant, Jesse Burris. Unintentionally leaking more information, about an incident we have been investigating for the past two weeks, and GCSO seems intent on keeping quiet.
Burris recently “resigned after more than 20 years in law enforcement,” confirmed GarCo Sheriff Public Information Officer, Shannon Stowe. According to our sources close to the Sheriff’s office Burris left under a cloud of investigation and his change in employment has yet to be updated on the Colorado POST database at time of publication.
“Tom! Am I going to have 75k in my budget in vacancy savings by the end of the year? Of course I am! This is really– just in case,” Vallario said. Almost like he knows something the rest of the room doesn’t.
Since it’s his wife’s saved up PDO, and early retirement package at stake he is essentially ensuring his own household’s golden parachute remains intact ‘just in case.’
Just in case of what, Lou?
The GarCo Sheriff’s Office currently has hiring freeze in place for two currently vacant positions, and Tom Jankovsky got Lou pledge to a freezing a third opening thru 2027.
More than Vallario ensuring his loyalists and wife get paid, this shake up at the top of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office will give incoming Sheriff Baker a chance to build his own patronage system and pack his administration with loyalists.
Baker won a nasty Republican primary against Dan Loya, two of Baker’s ‘ride or die’ supporters in that contest were Megan Heil and Caleb Waller, both now seem positioned to fill positions at the GarCo SO and a yet to be created advisory board. Though Baker denied any plans to hire Waller, “Nope, Mr. Waller is not being considered for any position within the Sheriff’s Office.”
If Baker does indeed hire Waller and Heil it will portend another administration just as corrupt as Lou’s. The GarCo Sheriffs office did not reply to our numerous requests for clarification.
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