County attorney Trezise receives three-month severance package

After pleading guilty to felony

The former deputy Gunnison county attorney who lost his job last month after pleading guilty to a felony (in a proposed plea agreement) received a compensation package after his position with the county was terminated.

Arthur Trezise allegedly notified those involved in an illegal marijuana grow operation in Crested Butte South last spring that authorities were coming to carry out a search warrant of the property. Trezise pled guilty on March 19 to a class five felony for being an accessory to a crime and was immediately terminated from his position with the county.
County manager Matthew Birnie explained that upon Trezise’s job termination he received $34,286.28 as “Salary and Benefits” that was due him under his employment contract in the event of a termination. Birnie said Trezise’s contract severance, in general, “serves as an up-front agreement as to the terms of a dismissal to avoid further disputes or litigation that can arise from a termination.” Since disputes regarding litigation costs and employment termination can be rather costly and time- and energy-consuming, Birnie said, “utilization of a severance clause is beneficial to the County.”