Pueblo petitioners have until Monday to get enough signatures to remove the mayor-run government

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)--Petitioners were out Friday collecting signatures to remove the mayor-run style of government and transition to a city manager style of government. The City Clerk said organizers will have until Monday at 5 p.m. to collect at least 3,768 valid signatures to get on the May ballot in order to trigger a special election.

The City Clerk’s Office said it will have 15 business days to evaluate the signatures to make sure they are from registered voters who live within the city of Pueblo.

According to Pueblo's City Clerk's Office, the cost of a May special election could be more expensive than $90,000 for taxpayers.

The organizers of the petition said that they plan to join a county ballot in May and that should cost less.

The woman in charge of the petition, Judalon Smyth, said she is hopeful she will get enough signatures. However, she does not know how many they have gotten so far.

"I'm very hopeful about it. But like I said, if not, then we will. I will file an extension and we will go for having a special election. Maybe in June," said Smyth.

Smyth has been working alongside Council member Lori Winner to make this happen.

This isn’t Smyth’s first attempt at reverting the government back to a city manager style. The petition organizer said she has asked the city council to put the question on the ballot themselves, bypassing the need to gather signatures.

KRDO reached out to Mayor Nick Gradisar's office for an on-camera interview and he was not available but did provide a statement.

“The change to a strong mayor form of government has been good for the City of Pueblo. The current petition is being championed by a Councilor who was a failed mayoral candidate who registers her vehicles in the State of Texas to avoid paying Colorado taxes. The manager/council form of government stagnated this community for more than 60 years and we should not return to government by committee. We are finally seeing the kind of economic activity that will move this community forward and we should not go backwards.”

Mayor Nick Gradisar

If the anti-mayor organizers don’t have enough signatures to turn in Monday, petitioners will have to start the process again and submit another petition draft in order to get the ballot question to amend the charter on the November ballot.