The Greeley Tribune: Just days after The Tribune detailed hundreds of phone calls between Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway and members of a county oversight board, Conway is asking residents to contact him via a private phone and email address.

The Tribune was told about the switch Tuesday, but couldn’t confirm the switch to a private phone until Wednesday night, when an online news organization posted a news release from Conway confirming it.

In communication with Complete Colorado reporter Sherrie Peif on Wednesday evening, Conway said the switch is to give residents confidence their emails and phone calls are not being snooped into by the Weld County information technology department and Weld County Attorney Bruce Barker.

“It is not to prevent reporters or other members of the public from (Colorado Open Records Act) requests,” Conway said in the release. “Only to provide people a level of security from unauthorized access to my accounts. I want people to feel they can communicate with me in confidence.”

Conway declined an in-person interview with The Tribune after a Wednesday morning county commissioners meeting, and he did not respond to phone calls or texts seeking comment Wednesday. He didn’t return calls or texts Thursday.

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