Mayor of Calhan resigns, cites “moral conflict”

The mayor of Calhan is out.

Blair Bartling submitted his resignation this morning, citing a moral conflict over the town’s summer fest later this month and how the funds raised for the event will be spent.

It comes as Calhan is in the middle of an investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigations regarding 2.5 million gallons of water that went missing from the Upper Big Sandy Groundwater Management District. Neither CBI nor the city will provide specifics on that investigation.

The former mayor says the timing is a coincidence.

“I fought the good fight, I’m tired of fighting. It’s probably time for some new blood to come in. I had intentions of staying until April finishing my term out,” Bartling said.

Bartling’s resignation letter was just one sentence, but he said he was simply tired of politics.

“It’s not about CBI,” he said.

Bryan Eurich is the mayor pro tem until a new mayor is appointed to serve the rest of Bartling’s term, which ends next April.

Eurich said he just wants to restore the public’s confidence.

“It sounds like we’re hiding something but we’re not, we’re just not allowed to comment on the investigation.”