The fate of the controversial Buc-ee’s annexation by the town of Palmer Lake was again kicked down the road. At issue during a marathon six-hour meeting filled with drama Thursday night was the process. A successful ballot initiative passed in September required any annexations into Palmer Lake pass a majority vote of residents. The prior rule, default in Colorado municipal law, left the decision to the discretion of the town’s Board of Trustees. The initiative requires a special election but does not remove a vote of the board as a requirement for annexation. It also does not spell out whether all other eligibility requirements must be met before the election is held. The Board of Trustees, before a large crowd at town hall, opted to let a judge decide exactly what the ballot initiative means. The initiative doesn’t spell out whether the election should be held prior to approval by the trustees or afterward. Town Attorney Scott Krob will draft a document outlining questions and the positions of those in favor of one or the other. The trustees will then approve, and possibly augment, that document before it is sent to the court for a declaratory judgment. The meeting had the feel of an old-style melodrama. Speakers were met with catcalls while heroes were cheered and villains were booed. Unlike a melodrama, each speaker was a hero to a portion of the crowd and a villain to the other, making for an often-raucous cacophony. Buc-ee’s has been asking the town to annex 30 acres near Interstate 25 into the town’s borders and allow the infrastructure for the Texas supersized travel chain to build its second Colorado location. That request set off a firestorm of controversy that has split the town for months. Trustees and attorney resign Facing a March 10 recall date, Trustee Tim Caves opted instead to resign. On Friday, Trustee Michael Boyett did likewise. “I am called to serve where knowledge is respected, experience is valued and truth is not twisted,” Caves said. “In the current climate where misinformation, personal attacks and division prevail, such service is no longer possible.” Boyett expressed similar sentiments. “It seems civility, thoughtful comments, and the ability to see the other side of an issue have taken a back seat to anger and abuse,” Boyett wrote. “In November of this year, I underwent a heart procedure that was brought on, in part, by the stress I feel as a Palmer Lake trustee. “My cardiologist advised me to get out of politics, so I am going to take his advice and resign my position as a Palmer Lake Trustee effective December 12, 2025.” Krob, who was the subject of considerable verbal abuse from some members of the crowd during the meeting, also resigned. Krob said in his statement that he will continue his duties until the board finds a replacement. Although Krob said he had been wrestling with the decision for months, it came as a surprise to the board. “We, as a town, have kicked an amazing asset to the curb,” Mayor Dennis Stern said. “We will never be able to replace (Krob). We will never get anybody close to him.” The most recent special election cost Palmer Lake nearly $26,000, according to Town Manager Erica Romero. Many more such elections are a big ask of a community that a town fact sheet says has only 2,636 residents. The petition to recall Caves was submitted on Nov. 12 and was determined to have sufficient valid signatures on Nov. 17. Palmer Lake town staff previously recommended the March 10 election date. Caves’ term would have ended in 2028. ...read more read less