Voters are deciding this November if they want an elected mayor or an appointed city manager to oversee the city. Here's what to know about Pueblo ballot question No. 2C - Charter Amendment - Change Form of Government to Council-Manager.
Here’s the language you’ll see on your ballot:
Shall the the Charter of the City of Pueblo be amended to change the form of government from a Council-Mayor government to a Council-Manager government, and in connection therewith: requiring that the City Council - City Manager form of government not be changed except by Charter Convention upon majority vote of qualified voters; eliminating the office of City Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff and establishing the office of City Manager to be selected by City Council, in which all executive and administrative powers of the City shall be vested; giving City Council the power to appoint all City Boards and Commissions whose members will be limited to four-year terms; removing the prohibition against City Council interfering in the removal of members of City Boards and Commissions; recognizing the President of the City Council as head of City government for all ceremonial purposes and authorizing the President of the City Council to execute and authenticate legal documents as may be required; giving the City Council the right to enforce its own ordinances; giving City Council the power to appoint the City Clerk and Municipal Court Judges; allowing current and former members of the City Council to become City Manager or City Employees after the first year following the expiration of their terms of office; authorizing City Council to direct the City Attorney to institute lawsuits; allowing the functions of the Department of Aviation be determined by Resolution; mandating that the City Council - City Manager form of government take effect immediately upon approval of this Charter Amendment by the registered Electors of the City of Pueblo and providing that the City Council shall appoint an Interim City Manager?
The mayor measure explained
This November, Puebloans are deciding, for the second time in the last decade, if they want an elected mayor or an appointed city manager to oversee the city.
Ballot question 2.C asks how the city should be governed moving forward. A yes vote would get rid of the current mayor and the position entirely. In that case, city council would hire a city manager, who would answer to council. It would dissolve the office of the mayor and eliminate the deputy mayor position and the chief of staff position.
A no vote would not change anything, and Pueblo would retain its mayor, Heather Graham,and the mayor-led form of government as a whole.
In 2019 the city voted to elect the first mayor in over 100 years. After that November election, the city did away with the hired city manager, who reported to city council.
The mayor works with city council, but would is not beholden to city council.
Nick Gradisar was the first elected mayor after the governing style change. He served one term and was then defeated by the current mayor Heather Graham.
But ever since the public voted to change the municipal government style some have repeatedly tried to change it back.
This past August, Pueblo's city council voted to send the question back to the voters.
Councilman Dennis Flores served on council prior to the change and for the past six years. He also ran for mayor in 2023.
He says Pueblo's government isn't as efficient or business-friendly with a strong mayor form of government.
“We now have the reputation of being that city that's so hard to deal with that they stopped dealing with Pueblo,” Flores said at an August city council meeting. He cited conversations he had with business owners about it and said, "Pueblo is too slow."
At that same meeting, Graham said Puebloans voted to change to a strong mayor form of government because the old city manager led system wasn't working for the town.
“People voted to change to a strong mayor because they were frustrated with the lack of leadership among the city council members,” Graham said.
“City council was unable to provide a unified clear and consistent path forward for the city. Nothing has changed.”
