Major change in Durango government is needed. There have been plenty of city government issues that gives residents reason to be concerned.
The city manager left after an ethics complaint was filed. The past finance manager was arrest for embezzling over $700,000. The 2020 city budget was full of errors amounting to over $10 million. Staff proposed an expensive, ugly and unnecessary pedestrian bridge for 32nd Street.
The acting city manager, Amber Blake, still can’t tell City Council how much money is in the water fund (I think it’s over $17 million). Monthly financial reports are inadequate (we still don’t have a balance sheet that indicates how much money the city has!). After nearly a year, City Council hasn’t hired a city manager. No wonder public trust in city government is so low!
We need major changes within the city and that can only happen with the right city manager being hired. Durango needs a city manager to make significant organizational changes, improve financial controls/reporting and restore public trust. Major and unbiased changes will require a city manager with no connections to Durango government, solid financial skills, solid leadership and proven public outreach skills.
Jose Madrigal is the city manager finalist that City Council should hire. Jose was the deputy city manager for McKinney, Texas, and clearly demonstrated solid financial and leadership skills there. He gets very high marks based on recent outreach to McKinney citizens and the McKinney Chamber of Commerce.
Dave PetersDurango
