COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A March city audit report found Mayor Yemi Mobolade used his city vehicle and security detail multiple times for personal use.
But the report noted no clear policies were violated since the mayor’s office falls under an elected role.
The audit, which is just over one page long, stems from allegations raised about an “elected official” in a hotline report submitted to the Colorado Springs city auditor. The mayor's office confirmed Mobolade is the official referenced.
The report alleged Mayor Mobolade’s police security detail escorted him in five separate instances in 2025 as he conducted personal errands, but found the stops were “incidental to official travel.”
The five instances from the audit report included:
- The elected official picked up their children from school, and all individuals proceeded to the City Administration Building.
- The elected official attended child's elementary school graduation and then attended a City event.
- After attending a City event, the elected official picked up the child from school and then proceeded to another City event.
- Between City events, the elected official and the security detail picked up dry cleaning.
- Before attending a City event, the elected official and security detail picked up dry cleaning.
The second allegation investigated by City Auditor Natalie Lovell’s office pertained to his personal use of a city-issued vehicle.
According to a statement from the mayor’s office, his wife had to use the city car between May and June last year while his personal car “was in the shop” and that it was temporary and “properly reported.”
The audit found she drove it for 152.5 miles and that its use was subsequently reported and the appropriate IRS fringe benefit reporting was completed.
"The audit report confirmed City resources were used appropriately. I appreciate the City Auditor’s thorough review of this matter, particularly because no policy related to this currently exists,” Mayor Mobolade said in an emailed statement. “As we do with all reports, my administration will take the Audit Committee’s recommendation under consideration as we work to strengthen transparency and accountability moving forward."
The City of Colorado Springs Policies and Procedures Manual for employees specifies that city vehicles only be used for official city business and not for personal errands.
But according to the audit report, Mayor Mobolade doesn’t fall into that category of City employee since he is an elected officeholder.
The audit concluded with a recommendation that the administration “establish a clear and enforceable policy governing ‘elected officials’ use of City resources, specifically including police detail and use of City vehicles, to ensure transparency, accountability, and consistency.”
During his campaign reelection launch on Monday night, the mayor addressed the audit on camera.
“Our city is growing. Our city is evolving. New types of elected officials, including me, raising three young kids, and I do believe it's an opportunity for us to work on those gray areas because there's no real specifics on those things,” he said.
- Hear from Mayor Mobolade and his response to the audit
City Councilman Dave Donelson, who sits on the Audit Committee, said their lawyer agreed in finding the issue to be a “gray zone.”
“Our lawyers tell us that it's very much a gray zone. If we were to create the rules, do they apply to the mayor?” Donelson said. “So he needs to do it himself. Voters can decide if that policy kind of meets their expectations.”
Donelson said the committee didn’t feel the mayor’s use of his security detail was a “big deal,” since the instances seemed to align with travel in his work day.
He did, however, take umbrage with the personal use of the city vehicle.
“[The policy] should be created. So that needs to happen and just to come into alignment with other private organizations and what is required of our police chief and fire chief,” Donelson said. “Your spouse, your kids should not be driving the vehicle themselves except in some kind of extraordinary circumstance, but not as a matter of convenience.”
For insurance concerns especially, the use of the vehicle by Mobolade’s wife could’ve come under more intense scrutiny had she been involved in an accident or crash, but that did not occur.”
Donelson applauded the City Auditor and the process for working as intended, though he said he’s unaware of who submitted the original allegations.
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