Pueblo votes to change ethics code following KRDO investigation

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Following a KRDO investigation in August, Pueblo City Council voted to change the city's ethics code Monday night.

Previously, only the Pueblo City Council president could preside over any ethics complaint made against the mayor, council member, or municipal judge. After Monday night's 6-1 vote to change the city's Ethics Code, all of Pueblo City Council will now be involved with investigating and voting on those ethics complaints.

More than one month ago, KRDO reported Mayor Nick Gradisar signed off on thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds to two businesses that held potential conflict of interests. A grant of $10,000 went to Tick Tock, a coffee shop in downtown Pueblo owned by Emily Gradisar, the mayor's niece. While $4,000 was granted to Stiletto Hair Salon. The salon pays rent to Wildwood Professional Building, which names Gradisar as a partial owner.

City Council President Dennis Flores investigated an ethical complaint made against the Mayor on this issue. Flores concluded the ethics complaint should be dismissed for "failure to state a claim."

"This did not rise to the level of an ethics problem," said Flores back in August. "The mayor did not make the decisions. The (COVID-19) Evaluation Committee made the decision."

But in response to KRDO and Flores' investigation into this matter, some on the Pueblo City Council are concerned over the procedure surrounding ethics complaints.

Monday night, City Council President Dennis Flores was the lone dissenting vote to change Pueblo's ethics code. Flores fears that more voices involved in an ethics investigation could potentially politicize it.