After 22 years of serving the city of Woodland Park, Suzanne Leclercq retires this month as the city clerkdeputy manager. Leaving with a heart full of memories, Leclercq reflects on the joys, the sorrows and the challenges that tell a story of the city.

She was there to oversee 13 controversy-free elections, seven regular, two special and four coordinated.

“I’ve never had an issue with an election,” she said.  “They were flawless.

She was there for the catastrophic Hayman and Waldo Canyon fires in 2002 and 2012, respectively, with then-city manager David Buttery.

“We had briefings with council every day, plus all the different preparations, getting ready for evacuations, all that,” she said.

One of 60 clerks in Colorado to earn a Master’s Municipal Clerk degree, Leclercq taught classes for the Colorado Municipal League.

Her record includes working with seven mayors and five city managers while serving a stint as interim city manager.

“It has truly been an honor to work alongside Suzanne over the past four years. In that time, we’ve shared plenty of good laughs while accomplishing an extraordinary amount of meaningful work,” said current City Manager Aaron Vassalotti. “Suzanne is the kind of colleague who gives her best every day and ensures that every task or situation is addressed with care and excellence.”

Unflappable in the face of what seems like insurmountable challenges, Leclercq led the city through the municipal election two weeks after COVID shut down the city in March 2020.

“My election judges had to wear full masks and gloves,” she said. “It was tough because we couldn’t not do the election. And it ended up being successful.”

Patience is among her virtues.

“We’ve had really late city council meetings, the latest ended at 1:45 a.m.,” she said. “That’s part of the job, right?”

Some of the late meetings were legendary for those paying attention.

“I’ve been through domestic fowl, people wanting chickens, the sign ordinance, deer harvesting, the annexation of Charis (bible college), tiny homes, and short-term rentals,” she said.

In a place where city officials form a bond, Leclercq recalls sharing grief when an employee suffered an accidental death. There were other tragedies, the deaths of former mayor Neil Levy and then-mayor Val Carr.

“Those were hard times,” she said.

Mayor Kellie Case refers to Leclercq as a cornerstone of the city.

“Her professionalism, depth of knowledge, and unwavering commitment to serving our community have guided and supported countless elected officials, employees, and residents,” Case said. “Suzanne’s calm leadership and dedication to doing things the right way set a standard that will endure long after her retirement.”

With her exit, Leclercq has left an indelible mark on the city, beginning with her role as the coordinator of Teen Court for the city’s police department, initiated by the late Chief Bob Larson.

“Kids make mistakes, right? The court was to help them get back on track,” she said. “These were little mistakes, not huge ones.”

Leclercq, with former police officers Glen Jardon and Sean Goings, spoke to police departments around the country about the program which had become a nationwide model.

“For a little town, it was a great thing,” she said.

After seven years with Teen Court, Leclercq replaced the city clerk, Cindy Morse, who retired in 2010. 

“She was a legend,” Leclercq said.

With Leclercq’s ability to get along while doing business efficiently, she has avoided controversy that continues to haunt elections nationwide.

“We had some exciting times coordinating elections and a few challenging times but at the end of the day there was a respectful friendship,” said Stepanie Kees, Teller County Clerk & Recorder.

Although she is retiring Leclercq plans to do risk-management consulting for the city – when she isn’t on the road.

“My husband, Andre, and I love to travel,” she said. “This year we’ve been to Morocco and Iceland.”

Next up is a trip with their family, adult children and seven grandchildren to the Dominican Republic.

The city hosts a farewell party for Leclercq from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Ute Pass Cultural Center.