Dale Sparks, mayor of this Denver suburb, has agreed to temporarily step down after he was arrested and later released by Police who raided a strip club where he served as a part time doorman.
Sparks, owner of the Smokin’ Mayor barbecue catering company, was working as doorman at the Bare Essence strip club Saturday night when police raided the club, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Five strippers, the club owner and the DJ were arrested and now face charges of prostitution and of violating city ordinances for adult businesses. Three dancers are still at large, though Sparks was questioned and released. He was not charged.
Sparks told the Federal Heights City Council Tuesday night that he would take a leave of absence and would “recuse” himself from his official duties for 10 weeks. But he added that he would not resign from the post that he has held for seven years.
But Sharon Richardson, who ran against Sparks in 2003 said the mayor should quit.
“It gets old. It just simply gets old to continually have something like this going on,” she said.
In 2004, the city manager was fired after he was seen surfing the Internet for porn, she said.
