AURORA | When it comes to the city’s residency requirement for the city manager, some residents and staff are questioning whether renting an apartment while owning a house outside of the city is enough to claim Aurora as home.

Similar to residency requirements for elected officials, Aurora requires its city manager to reside within the city before taking the oath of office. Last year, voters overwhelmingly reaffirmed the residency requirement, rejecting a ballot measure to remove it by 82%. 

City Manager Jason Batchelor, who was appointed by city council to the position in December 2023, rents a 1-bedroom apartment in Aurora and also owns a house outside of the city, property and other records show.

While the city attorney says the charter residency mandate is being adhered to, residents and city staff who spoke to the Sentinel said it’s a loophole being exploited, especially in light of a recent election.

Jeff McFarland, a resident of northeast Aurora, said he thinks the city is operating in bad faith.

“If your answer includes, ‘Well, technically,’ then whatever perceived moral high ground you had in the situation disappears,” McFarland said. 

Since the city manager is entrusted to oversee many of the city’s operations, McFarland said it’s fair to ask that person to have “an actual vetted interest in the community, save for their salary.”

“The reason I think it’s important for someone who lives in Aurora to be the one managing Aurora is because I don’t believe that otherwise you can be as ingrained in your community as you need to be,” he said.

A current veteran employee of the police department, who spoke to the Sentinel on the condition of anonymity, fearing retribution for his comments, called Batchelor’s living situation “the worst-kept secret at city hall.”

He said it’s hypocritical of the city to not apply clear standards for Batchelor when other employees are expected to comply with their own job requirements. Only the city manager is required to live inside city limits as a condition of employment, according to the city charter.

“It sends a really poor message to city employees that we all must abide by the rules and not just find a way around them, unless we’re at the top of the payroll.”

Voter registration records show Batchelor has been registered at an Aurora apartment since April 2024, three months after being appointed city manager. However, property records show that Batchelor also has owned a home outside of the city since 2009, where he was previously registered to vote. The Sentinel is limiting information about Batchelor’s addresses in the interest of safety concerns.

In a response to questions from the Sentinel, a statement from city spokesperson Ryan Luby said Batchelor “maintains a residence in Aurora” and he is registered to vote in the city. The city didn’t elaborate on whether the Aurora residence is Batchelor’s “primary” residence, as required by state voting laws.

At a June 23, 2025 city council meeting, City Attorney Pete Schulte said litigation in Denver prompted last year’s ballot measure requesting the removal of the residency requirement, not a request from Batchelor or the city manager’s office. He said at the time that Batchelor met the city’s standard for the residency requirement. 

Aurora’s charter doesn’t define residency or provide a way to determine primary residence.

The charter states: “At the time of appointment, the city manager need not be a resident of the city or state, but prior to taking the oath of office, the city manager shall reside within the city.” 

Under state law, the primary residence is defined as a “home or place in which a person’s habitation is fixed and to which that person, whenever absent, has the present intention of returning after a departure or absence, regardless of the duration of the absence.”

The law also says a number of factors can be considered when determining someone’s primary residence for voter registration. They include employment, motor vehicle registration, the residence listed for tax purposes, marital status, residence of parents, spouse and children, leaseholds, location of personal property, existence of any other residences and the amount of time spent at each residence.

William Mast, elections division director at the Arapahoe County Clerk’s Office, said in cases where voters have more than one property, the voter decides which is their primary address. He added that voters can only vote at one address.

“For state and local elections, residency is defined by that intent to return, or where they feel home is,” Mast said. “It’s where they tend to remain indefinitely.

According to Colorado Secretary of State voting rules, “You cannot have two residences.”

City officials insist Batchelor’s apartment meets the city’s requirement.

“City Manager Batchelor is in compliance with the city charter,” according to the city statement. 

Mayor Mike Coffman told the Sentinel that he knows of Batchelor’s other property but agrees that he meets the residency requirement.  

“Yes, I believe he is in compliance with the city charter,” Coffman said in an email. “The Mayor and City Council as a body ultimately determine who is most qualified to serve such an important role in our city.”

Another member of the council, Mayor Pro Tem Alison Coombs, said she believes Batchelor’s “renting of a home in Aurora is consistent with the charter.”

“Among those two properties, where Jason spends most of his time, I don’t know,” Coombs said. “I see him in the city of Aurora, and at City of Aurora events and activities that he’s requested at, almost more than council.”

Coombs said Batchelor is dedicated to the city and she is happy with his job performance.

“If there’s concern from folks, I’m happy to hear that concern directly, but my understanding is the arrangement Jason has is above board and consistent with expectations,” she said. “​​Jason takes his work very seriously and consistently demonstrates that he cares about the interests of the city and the people that live here.”

When reached by phone on Friday, Councilmember Rob Andrews said he had no comment. The remaining council members did not respond to an email and phone call seeking comment.

Batchelor, 51, has worked for the city for the past 17 years, beginning as budget manager, then finance manager and deputy city manager. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point in 1996. After a five-year stint in the Army, he received master’s degrees in engineering and public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. 

As city manager, Batchelor’s salary in 2025 was $358,644. 

Aurora resident Hashim Coates said it’s an ethical issue if Batchelor’s primary residence is outside of the city because he feels voters expected more than technical compliance with the city’s charter.

“The city doesn’t provide the same grace on technicality when it comes to fines, business licensing or things like that, so I think the residents deserve more,” Coates said.  

Coates said he supports the residency requirement for top city staff for the same reason that elected officials are required to live in their districts: accountability. He added that he favors expanding the residency requirement to other top city positions, like the police and fire chiefs.

“I believe public service is strongest when it’s rooted in community,” Coates said. “When the city manager, police officers, fire chief or team executives live in Aurora, they experience the same roads and neighborhoods, the same public services and the same challenges as every other resident. It creates a level of accountability and perspective that cannot be replicated from outside the city limits.”

Another current and long-time city employee, who also spoke to the Sentinel on the condition of anonymity because of fear over retribution, said the council is allowing “the opposite of what voters clearly said they wanted just last year.”

“This is a classic case of ‘Rules for thee but not me,’” he said.

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