'Coming after your balances': Were alleged threats to Edmond workers followed through on?
EDMOND, Okla. (KOKH) — FOX 25 continues its months-long investigation of threats allegedly made to Edmond city employees to help secure a lucrative contract. We revealed back in September city council chose to renew Edmond's trash contract even after learning about the claimed threats made by a company owner. Now we have uncovered whether any of those threats were followed through.
Edmond Public Works employees documented "intimidation and bullying tactics" by Edmond Transfer Station co-owner Clay Coldiron, as he allegedly threatened to use his leverage with city council to get the renewal deal he wanted. Coldiron allegedly told one employee "It would be super aggressive politically" and "ETS ownership will come after you."
Privately owned ETS takes your trash after it leaves your curb, handling it at the Edmond Transfer Station and then hauling it to the dump. It is an arrangement the city and ETS told us back in September served residents well.
"We've had a great relationship," Edmond spokesman Casey Moore said.
But public works staff wanted to know if it was the best deal for taxpayers before signing on to continue the partnership. They looked at cost-saving options, including buying the Edmond Transfer Station outright or taking over all services until the trash ends up at the dump. The alleged threats happened during tense renegotiations in the fall of 2021. Coldiron denied making those comments to public works staff when we spoke with him over the phone in September of 2022.
"No, I didn't make that comment either," Coldiron said after we asked him if he told a staffer "ETS ownership will come after you" and "it would be super aggressive politically."
"Would you go as far as to say that it is a lie?" we asked.
"No, I'd never say that," said Coldiron. "I'd say I don't have any recollection of ever having made that comment. I think what I was trying to communicate to them was the ownership was not going to take this from the staff and just roll over and just accept it."
Through an Open Records Act request, FOX 25 now has handwritten notes taken by a city employee during that 2021 meeting with Coldiron. Those notes detail Coldiron's alleged threats, including telling public works staff "Council is coming after your balances and will take them."
The balance likely in question is the solid waste reserve fund, which held more than $12 million, saved up to potentially take over those trash services. We uncovered the very same day as that threatening meeting. City Councilman Josh Moore replied to emails with specific questions about the solid waste reserve balance.
It didn't stop there. Councilman Moore asked about the balance and tried to use the balance for several different unrelated projects a total of 12 different times between September 2021 and August of 2022.
Emails among public works staff reveal their own complaints about how many times Councilman Moore was asking them for balance information. One wrote, "We have explained the reason for the fund balance in detail. He just chooses not to listen. He has a different agenda."
Another said, "It seems a bit curious that he is so focused on Solid Waste. Almost as if he were following through on a 'warning' we received from a certain party."
And in another email, a staffer wrote, "If this is not them making good on their threat... I don't know what is."
Councilman Moore admitted to FOX 25 back in November 2022 he did work with ETS owners Coldiron and Derrick Turner in the past. and considers them "friends." He also got campaign contributions from the Coldirons.
After our story on his involvement in helping secure ETS's new deal and questioning any conflicts of interest, Councilman Moore took to social media, accusing FOX 25 of painting the city council in bad light in an effort to "drive up ratings." He also said he didn't trust our "motives."
Since then, we've learned Councilman Moore's emails questioning the reserve balance suddenly stopped after August 24th, 2022, just days after FOX 25 filed our first open records request for these documents. As soon as we started asking questions, Councilman Moore appeared to back off, showing those who handle your trash, also potentially wield more power and influence over your tax dollars than you realize.
Moore completes his 4-year term on Edmond city council in May.
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