Rocky Ford residents petitioning to recall City Council members

Controversy is stirring in Rocky Ford.

The city manager of Rocky Ford, Ian Kaiser, is on administrative leave. There’s also an effort to recall City Council members.

Shelly Bauer is spearheading the petition process to recall Margaret Grasmick, Robert Perez, J.R. Thompson, Leon Ortega and Daryl Grasmick from their respective City Council positions.

“I walked up to my Ward Two council member and I told him that I would be filing for a recall on him,” said Bauer of Daryl Grasmick.

She says Daryl Grasmick is using back channels to do city business and is creating a hostile work environment, and nothing is being done to stop it.

“Daryl is the one that started this with Mr. Kaiser and they are following lead., And if they are standing against Kaiser, they are standing against this community,” said Bauer.

Ian Kaiser is Rocky Ford’s city manager. He just underwent a review but we don’t know what that revealed. What we do know is the city manager is on administrative leave; however, city officials won’t tell us why.

“They said he was under investigation but they have not elaborated to him or to anyone else to my knowledge as to what they’re investigating,” said Bauer.

Bauer can think of only one reason the council would want to fire Kaiser.

“Ian can be a little brusque at times,” Bauer said.

Right now, Gary Cox is acting city manager.

“I think to me, they got a good city manager right now, which is Gary Cox and I think he’d do good,” said Leonard Trujillo.

But for Bauer, the only real solution is to get the community involved.

“If you don’t think enough has been done, write down a list, come in to the office, talk with the city manager,” said Bauer.

Bauer has to get signatures from 25 percent of the registered voters in Rocky Ford for each council member she wants to recall.