Pueblo City Council to hire outside attorney counsel for ethics complaint against Mayor Gradisar

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- In an emergency meeting Thursday night, the Pueblo City Council were divided on the ethics complaint brought against Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar. The Council convened privately before discuss the complaint filed by City Council hopeful, Todd Rogers.

Ultimately, Councilman Bob Schilling filed a motion to dismiss the complaint against the Mayor. The motion died, after a 3-3 vote. This was due to councilman Dennis Flores being absent from the meeting.

Next, City Council voted unanimously 6-0 to hire an outside attorney to give them legal counsel on the matter. According to Bob Schilling, they are simply seeking a yes or no answer from counsel on whether Gradisar violated the cities code of ethics.

The complaint stems from letters Gradisar sent to the Pueblo Human Relations Commission saying their funding depends on the passing of 2A.

If passed, 2A would use $576,609 from 2020 excess sales tax revenue to fund road repairs in Pueblo. However, the complaint alleges Gradisar plans on using funding for items unrelated to road repairs.

In the letter sent to the commission, Gradisar said he would recommend the city provide them with more than $13,000 in 2022.

In the 2022 proposed budget, Gradisar outlines multiple times that the budget is premised upon the passage of Ballot Measure 2A. However, multiple council members questioned if this was the case Thursday evening.

When asked about the accusations, Gradisar told 13 Investigates the complaint was politically motivated, frivolous, groundless, and without merit.

After the outside council gives their opinion on the letter, City Council can revisit the complaint at any future meetings.

They hold biweekly meetings with the next meeting happening on November 8th.