Voters on Tuesday reelected two incumbents and elected one newcomer to the Durango Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
The incumbents were Samantha Gallagher and Tina McCallum; the newly elected board member was David Stokes.
“It’s great to keep the two incumbents,” said DFPD Fire Chief Randy Black. “They both have an incredible financial background between them, and so much of the board’s responsibility is financial.”
The six-member board oversees the district’s budget, appoints committees and hires the fire chief. Board members serve four-year terms, and elections are held every two years when enough candidates come forward to require a vote.
This year, five people ran, vying for three open seats. It was the first fire district election in more than a decade.
“I’m excited to see that there was enough interest to warrant an election. We always like to see people who want to give back to their community,” said board president Karen Barger. “I think it’s pretty hard in today’s world to put your name out there for something like that, so I’m overjoyed that people are willing to be of service.”
Stokes received 77 votes, Gallagher received 70, and McCallum received 68. The other two candidates, Thomas “TJ” Hermesman and Jason Moore, received 59 and 34 votes, respectively.
Both Black and Barger said any of the candidates would have made strong additions to the board. They expressed hope that Hermesman and Moore would consider running in the future.
Voter turnout was “incredibly low,” with only about 1% of eligible voters participating, Black said. He added that this was not surprising, as there were no contentious issues driving turnout.
While the district encourages public involvement, Black said the low turnout can be viewed in a positive light, as it may reflect satisfaction with the board’s current direction.
Election results will remain unofficial for the legally required eight-day curing period and are set to be certified by May 20. Election canvassers are responsible for reviewing the results and ensuring all required protocols were followed.
The board’s first post-election meeting will be held at 8 a.m. May 27, when the newly elected members will be sworn in.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
