Hartman, Colorado — A tiny southeastern Colorado town with just around 30 residents has officially been declared abandoned after its entire local government resigned, leaving the community without elected leadership while residents continued to face an ongoing drinking water crisis.
The rare move by state officials follows months of political turmoil, infrastructure failures, and concerns that the town no longer had the ability to govern itself or provide safe drinking water.
Colorado Officially Declares Hartman Abandoned
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced that the Town of Hartman was formally declared abandoned under state law.
According to the state, Hartman had no functioning municipal government after the town’s remaining three board trustees resigned on January 14, leaving no officials available to conduct town business, oversee elections, or manage essential public services.
State officials said the decision followed an application filed by a resident requesting abandonment because the town could no longer legally operate.
The declaration marks the end of Hartman’s status as an incorporated statutory town.
Unsafe Drinking Water Became a Major Concern
One of the biggest issues facing residents was the town’s deteriorating water system.
According to documents submitted with the abandonment request, Hartman’s water reportedly lacked chlorine for more than a month, making it unsafe to drink. The application also stated that the water “smells horrible.”
Residents had reportedly been living under a boil water advisory since at least February, while the town lacked the leadership needed to address the problem.
Officials noted that although Hartman had received more than $1 million in grant funding to improve its water infrastructure, the absence of a governing body meant no contracts could be approved or managed, preventing the work from moving forward.
Violent Meeting and Political Turmoil Accelerated the Collapse
The town’s government effectively collapsed after the final trustees resigned one day after a violent altercation involving four older women following a tense board meeting.
That incident became another chapter in years of controversy that had already included embezzlement allegations, lawsuits, restraining orders, and previous efforts to dissolve the town, according to reports.
Without elected officials or a town clerk, Hartman could no longer hold elections or make legally required decisions affecting residents.
State Says Abandonment Was the Only Legal Solution
Following a public hearing earlier this month, Deputy Secretary of State Andrew Kline concluded that declaring Hartman abandoned was the only practical legal option available.
In his written decision, Kline said failing to declare the town abandoned would have left residents in legal limbo during an ongoing public health emergency, with no authority to restore water service or conduct official business.
He stated that abandonment created the only legal pathway under Colorado law for residents to regain access to safe drinking water through another governing authority.
County Will Take Over Essential Services
With Hartman no longer functioning as an incorporated town, Prowers County will now assume responsibility for public roads, alleys, and key municipal infrastructure.
The county will also take ownership of the existing water system before transferring responsibility to an organization whose primary role is water treatment and delivery, allowing long-delayed improvements to finally move forward.
Although several residents objected to the abandonment decision, arguing there were unresolved procedural issues surrounding trustee resignations and scheduled elections, state officials ultimately determined the declaration was necessary to protect public health and restore basic services.
What do you think about this decision? Should states intervene sooner when small towns lose the ability to govern and provide essential services? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
