Pueblo Mayoral candidate Steve Nawrocki touts experience
For Steve Nawrocki, no one is more prepared to become Pueblo’s first Mayor in more than half a century than himself. The former City Council President has served more than 8 years on City Council and says he knows the ins and outs.
“Experience experience experience,” said Nawrocki when asked what makes him the right choice to take over the new role. “Last November two-thirds of the voters voted for either a past city council member or a present city council member. So you can’t tell me the voters don’t think City council experience isn’t important.”
Pueblo is just hours away from the special runoff election on Tuesday, January 22nd. Back in November, voters narrowed down the field of candidates from 16 to just two.
The two remaining candidates, Steve Nawrocki and Nick Gradisar, are doing whatever it takes to get votes down this home stretch.
One of Nawrocki’s top priorities is helping to grow Pueblo. He says he aims to do that by attracting new business, as well as drivers, to stop in Pueblo.
“Millions of cars drive by our city every year, and we need to capitalize on it,” said Nawrocki. “We’ve been doing that, somewhat. We have an incredible lifestyle and quality of life here. We have the big city amenities, but a small town quality of life. We want to continue to promote that.”
Nawrocki tells KRDO if he wins, the thing at the top of his to-do list will be making sure City Council runs smoothly under the new system.
He already has the support of 6 of the 7 current council members but hopes to continue to build on those relationships.
“My intent is to be able to demonstrate, be able to say when city council meets that when we move forward I will be very inclusive. City council will never be blindsided, and they will be a part of the solution,” said Nawrocki.
As for his opponent Nick Gradisar, who has been critical of current and past council members, Nawrocki says that’s unfortunate. Plus, Gradisar’s public comments against City Manager Sam Azad’s severance package is a mistake.
That package includes $250,000, which Gradisar referred to as a ‘golden parachute’ paid for by taxpayers.
“(Azad) is a guy that has a lot of institutional knowledge,” pointed out Nawrocki. “He won’t be around, but whoever the mayor is should try to take advantage of some of that knowledge to help with the smoothest transition as possible.”
Monday, KRDO will sit down with the number one vote-getter after the November election, Nick Gradisar: a man who was one of the first to push for the new mayor position in Pueblo.
