Manitou Springs City Councilor Nancy Fortuin called for the resignation of Councilor John Shada during the council correspondence part of Tuesday’s regular meeting.
“Recently, a police report was filed by one of our residents concerning Councilor Shada,” said Fortuin. “The report details an encounter in the Dillon parking lot, where a discussion escalated to the point that the resident felt unsafe. This type of behavior is unacceptable under any circumstances and is especially troubling when it involves a member of the City Council.”
Fortuin also detailed past examples of inappropriate behavior from Shada. “This incident marks the third occasion of which I am aware of where Mr. Shada has failed to behave as one would expect — and as we should demand — of our City leaders,” she said. “These repeated occurrences not only reflect poorly on Mr. Shada but also put the credibility of our governing body at risk, since we have been aware of each incident and have taken little or no action. The first incident took place several years ago, when Mr. Shada accosted an employee of the City of Colorado Springs. The employee felt so bullied that he reported his concerns to Manitou Springs. The second incident involved Mr. Shada’s dog biting a resident. Instead of apologizing and offering assistance, Mr. Shada did not reveal his true identity to the victim. Only after being identified on Facebook did he take the appropriate steps. These mark three serious incidents, but I know I have personally felt the intimidation and chilling effects of Mr. Shada’s bullying tactics and have witnessed Mr. Shada’s rude behavior towards staff and presenters. This suggests a very troubling pattern.”
Fortuin went on to call for Shada’s resignation from Manitou Springs City Council. “While it is important to acknowledge Mr. Shada’s tireless work and deep passion for improving Manitou Springs — which I value — we must also recognize that such passion can sometimes manifest as intimidation and threats,” she said. “Unfortunately, this appears to be the case in these situations. Given these concerns, I am respectfully requesting that Mr. Shada resign from his position on the City Council before the situation escalates further or results in more serious consequences. Additionally, I am aware of rumors regarding a possible recall initiative. To save the city from the expense and divisiveness of a special election, I urge Mr. Shada to step down voluntarily. If Mr. Shada chooses not to resign, I request that this issue be placed on the agenda for our next regular meeting so that we may discuss available options to address these concerns.”…