Town Mayor's Daughter Profits from Cut-Price City Vehicle Sales

author: FutureCar Staff    

A small town mayor in Lakeside, Colorado is facing scrutiny after an investigation revealed that he sold cars from the town fleet to his daughter at discounted prices, allowing her to make a profit by reselling them. The mayor, Robert Gordanier, allegedly sold two cars to his daughter, Brenda Hamilton, who was working as a town clerk at the time.

Local CBS News outlets reported that the mayor sold the cars for prices significantly below their actual value. One of the cars, a 2013 Ford Fusion, was sold to Hamilton for just $1,000 according to a bill signed by Mayor Gordanier.

Interestingly, a Wyoming resident claimed to have seen the same car listed for sale at a much higher price. The buyer traveled from Wyoming to Colorado and purchased the ex-town car for $12,000.

A second questionable deal took place when Gordanier and Hamilton attempted to sell an old Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that was previously owned by the town. CBS News Colorado discovered a bill of sale from September 2022, showing that Gordanier sold the vehicle to his daughter for $300. A man in Thornton later bought the SUV from Hamilton for $7,000 in cash, stating that it was a good deal and the vehicle ran well.

Mayor Gordanier has claimed that he had no knowledge of the prices at which the cars were sold and has placed the blame on his daughter. He stated that he signed blank forms and allowed someone else to fill in the sales prices, suggesting that it must have been Hamilton. Gordanier justified the sales by saying that it was easier to sell the cars to his daughter than to go through the process of advertising them.

When CBS approached Hamilton for comment, she refused to speak on camera and denied personally reselling the town vehicles. She also denied purchasing the Ford Fusion for $1,000 and the Chevy Tahoe for $300.

In an attempt to minimize her profits from the car sales, Hamilton claimed that she bought a Dodge Charger for $9,500 of her own money and gave it to the town.

The entire incident is now under investigation, which includes looking into why Gordanier appointed family members to senior positions in the town. A representative from the town declined to comment further until the investigation is concluded.

FutureCar Staff