Colorado Town Declared Abandoned After Officials Resign and Water Crisis Deepens
A small Colorado town is losing its municipal status after a political collapse left officials unable to govern and a long-running water crisis without a clear solution.
The Colorado Department of State issued the abandonment determination on Tuesday, transferring control of Hartman’s streets and critical water infrastructure to Prowers County.
The ruling removes Hartman’s independent municipal authority and shifts control of its assets and infrastructure to the county.
Hartman, located in southeastern Colorado near the Kansas border, has a population of about 30 residents.
The town had been without elected leadership since January, when members of its Board of Trustees resigned following months of disputes that left officials unable to approve contracts, spend money, appoint replacements, or address the town’s deteriorating water system, Newsweek reported.
The crisis centered largely around Hartman’s aging water infrastructure, which residents said had become increasingly difficult to maintain.
One resident who filed the abandonment petition in June cited ongoing water problems, including a boil order that had been in place since October 2025 and concerns about the town’s ability to provide safe drinking water.
The town’s leadership crisis intensified after a January meeting dispute between officials over water-related issues escalated into a physical confrontation, according to Westword.
Former mayor pro tem Tammy Lucero and trustee Melissa Venegas were both charged with misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace and later received deferred sentences.
Another trustee, Velma Cassanova-Cooper, suffered a medical emergency during the aftermath and was hospitalized.
After the confrontation, the remaining board members paid the town’s electric bill to keep the water system running temporarily before resigning.
With no mayor, trustees, or town clerk in place, Hartman was unable to conduct elections or make decisions needed to repair the water system and secure additional assistance.
State officials said the unusual situation created a legal problem because Colorado law did not previously provide a quick way to address a town with no functioning government and urgent infrastructure needs.
A new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis (D) allowed the state to move forward with abandonment proceedings sooner for municipalities facing government collapse and critical water issues.
The Colorado Department of State said leaving Hartman in legal limbo would have prevented residents from getting the necessary authority to repair the water system.
Under the state’s decision, Prowers County will take control of town property and infrastructure, including the water system, which can then be transferred to a qualified operator, according to The Denver Post.
The decision was controversial among some Hartman residents, who argued the town should have been allowed to restore local government rather than be dissolved.
Some residents traveled to the state hearing to oppose the abandonment petition, saying the community still had people willing to serve and rebuild, Courthouse News reported.
They argued the community itself had not failed, but that outside systems had failed to provide the support needed to keep the town operating.
Some residents pointed to Hartman’s long history, which included surviving historic challenges, including the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, as reasons the town should not disappear.
State officials, however, determined that abandonment was the only legal path available to address the town’s immediate water problems.
The ruling noted that without the action, residents could have remained without a functioning government and continued facing obstacles in repairing their water infrastructure.
The town’s collapse came after years of internal disputes, including disagreements over finances, elections, and town management.
The Division of Local Government reportedly visited Hartman dozens of times since 2022 to assist with issues involving elections, budgets, resignations, audits, and training officials.
With the state’s decision now in place, Hartman will become part of unincorporated Prowers County.
The county will oversee the town’s remaining assets and work toward addressing the water problems that ultimately contributed to the community losing its official status.
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