When asked how starting a firm with a subordinate was not a conflict of interest, Irvin’s campaign said the mayor never intended to run the business with Pegues until Irvin was out of office.
The Tribune also found Pegues did not file a formal application with the city’s human resources department when he helped start the firm, even though city rules call for employees to do so for side jobs. While exempting elected officials, the city code broadly defines a side job as any involvement “in the management, operation or direction of any enterprise, public or private.”
Aurora spokesman Clayton Muhammad said Pegues didn’t file the formal application for the side business “because the company doesn’t have employees or revenue.”
“As things move forward, the process will be followed,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad also defended the mayor not publicly announcing that he created the new firm, saying there was no requirement and — if he had done so at a city meeting — it could have run afoul of ethics concerns that he’d use his city position to promote his private venture.
Pegues did not return calls for comment.