Councilman Elect Demands Independent Investigation Into City Manager
City Councilmen-elect Chris Nicoll is calling on the Pueblo City Council to do an independent investigation into City Manager Jerry Pacheco, before he takes office in January.
“I am hoping this matter is out of the way so we can start clean in the New Year with new issues that are affecting our city,” Nicoll told TARGET 13’s Tak Landrock.
TARGET 13 first told you about allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Pacheco and Marisa Walker, the director of human resources.
The city’s attorney did review records into the allegations, after TARGET 13 and other media outlets asked for emails and phone call logs, and found nothing criminal or any city policy violations.
Despite finding no violations, Pacheco removed himself as her immediate supervisor.
Nicoll said there should be an independent investigation of the executive branch, which can be done if council wishes. “We need to be above board,” said Nicoll.
City Council President Ray Aguilera said Nicoll’s trying to make a name for himself. He said of Nicoll, “He’s not even sworn in yet.”
Aguilera asked TARGET 13, “We’re talking about job performance; name one thing that he’s done wrong job performance wise?”
Nicoll sent letters to members of city council earlier this week after getting an anonymous letter in mail, containing what is supposed to be chats between Walker and Pacheco.
TARGET 13 also got to letter last Friday but no one in city government would verify if they were actual conversations between the pair.
Pacheco didn?t return calls from TARGET 13 Wednesday night about the anonymous letter, the chats nor the demands for an independent investigation.
Pacheco did tell the Pueblo Chieftain that he is friends with Walker.
He told TARGET 13 in September that his personal attorney advised him not to speak about the relationship because he is going through a divorce.
