Wynetta Massey, Colorado Springs City Attorney and Chief Legal Officer, today announced her retirement after 35 years of dedicated public service to the City of Colorado Springs. Her last day is June 30.
“It is difficult to capture in words the depth of gratitude we owe Wynetta for her outstanding service as City Attorney and Chief Legal Officer,” said Mayor Yemi Mobolade. “Her extensive knowledge of our city, her decades of experience in local government, and her passion for municipal law are truly unmatched. Wynetta is not only a national leader in her field, but she has also consistently served with dependable leadership and with heart, always making decisions in the best interest of Colorado Springs and its residents. We have been truly blessed by her unwavering dedication, and I wish her great joy and fulfillment in her well-deserved retirement.”
Massey first joined the Colorado Springs City Attorney’s Office in 1990 and was appointed to City Attorney and Chief Legal Officer in 2014, leading an office of 61 attorneys and support staff. She has served under seven mayors and 19 City Councils and has garnered a reputation for excellent client relationships, professional reliability, and leadership.
“It has been my distinct honor to have served the City of Colorado Springs, and the members of the City Attorney’s Office, for the past 35 years,” said Massey. “I have always taken the responsibility of serving very seriously, and while I am proud of many of the great things I’ve been a part of in City government, I am most proud of the incredible team of attorneys and support staff who I had the great privilege to serve with and who will continue to serve Colorado Springs with honor and distinction.”
Massey is a national speaker on a variety of municipal law topics, including ethics, land use, marijuana regulation, and the mayor-council form of government. She is the president of the Colorado Municipal League Executive Board, serves on the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) Board of Directors and is an IMLA Local Government Fellow. In 2020, she was awarded the IMLA Amicus Service Award, and she received the Epps Award for Longevity of Service to a Community in 2022.
Marc Smith, Deputy City Attorney overseeing the Corporate, Utilities and Real Estate Services divisions, will serve as Acting City Attorney while the City conducts a national search for a new Chief Legal Officer. Smith has been with the City of Colorado Springs for 20 years and has served as a prosecutor, corporate attorney, division chief, and legislative counsel to the City Council.