Pueblo Commissioner Garrison Ortiz leaving role for CSU Pueblo; Esgar may replace him

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Daneya Esgar.

Pueblo County Commissioner Garrison Ortiz is leaving county government to become the chief financial officer at Colorado State University Pueblo, he announced Tuesday during the commissioners’ meeting at the county courthouse.

Local Democrats will appoint a replacement for Ortiz at a vacancy committee scheduled for May 12. Ortiz will start his new role at CSU Pueblo on June 1, he announced at the meeting.

“I've been very committed to working in the area of higher education: I believe very strongly in the importance that it plays in elevating communities and people,” Ortiz said. “This was just too great of an opportunity to pass up for my family and I at this time,” he said, also giving thanks to his colleagues at the county.

CSU Pueblo announced in a press release that Juanita Pena, who has served as the chief financial officer and university controller since October 2021, will keep working as the controller after Ortiz starts his work at the university.

Ortiz is stepping down midway through his second term as commissioner — he was 26 when first elected to the job in 2016. Although commissioners were limited to two terms when Ortiz started, he could have run for up to three additional terms with voters' approval of ballot question 1A in November 2022.

He said that he hopes Pueblo continues to “keep and retain” young leaders who “have the best interest for whatever organization they need."

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As chair of the BOCC for five years, Ortiz has overseen the implementation of capital projects costing hundreds of millions of dollars, including the construction of a new jail and extension of Joe Martinez Boulevard between the city of Pueblo and Pueblo West. Ortiz also mentioned his work to balance the county budget, boost employee pay and expand the county's real estate portfolio.

Ortiz is an alumnus of CSU Pueblo with a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the university. He is also working on his doctorate in leadership for educational equity in higher education at the University of Colorado Denver. He is an adjunct instructor at CSU Pueblo, teaching a principles of management course every Wednesday evening.

Ortiz said he has experience with budgeting and finance from his job prior to the BOCC with the Hackett Group, as well as from working on the board.

He said he plans to work in higher education for the foreseeable future but would “never say never” about a potential return to electoral politics.

Former state Rep. Daneya Esgar could replace Ortiz on the board

Bri Buentello, the chair of the Pueblo County Democratic Party, told the Chieftain that former state Rep. Daneya Esgar is the only person so far to express official intent in replacing Ortiz.

Esgar represented House District 46 for eight years at the state capitol until early 2023, including serving as the house majority leader. She was recently appointed by Mayor Nick Gradisar to serve as director of the Just Transitions office to help Pueblo prepare for the scheduled shutdown of the Comanche 3 power plant in 2031.

She said people have been calling her about stepping up to fill the board position since rumors of Ortiz's departure began circulating.

"I don't take this lightly. I think the opportunity to continue serving the community that I've served for the last eight years is an amazing opportunity for me and for the people of Pueblo," Esgar said.

If appointed by the vacancy committee, Esgar said she would continue working on transitioning Pueblo's future energy production, as well as economic development and improving the workforce for county employees. She also said she wants to address access to and affordability of childcare: As a parent of a young child, she said that finding childcare has taken months.

Ortiz and Commissioner Eppie Griego drew criticism from local Democrats in the summer of 2022 for endorsing Zach Swearingen, the Republican candidate in the District 3 commissioner race who ended up besting the Democratic candidate, Roxy Pignanelli, by nearly 8,000 votes.

Esgar declined to speculate about how, if appointed, her presence could change the dynamics on the BOCC.

"I have known Eppie (Griego) for a long time, I've known Zach (Swearingen) for a long time. I respect both of them and really think at the end of the day, we can all come together and do what we need to do for the people of Pueblo," Esgar said.

If appointed, Esgar would serve the remainder of Ortiz's term through January 2025. Esgar wouldn't say if she would run again for the position in a year and a half but is taking things "one day at a time."

Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: BOCC Chairman Ortiz leaving county government for job at CSU Pueblo