Durango City Council disqualified resident and former Infrastructure Advisory Board member John Simpson from appointed city offices on Thursday after a Board of Ethics report delivered earlier this month.
City Council voted unanimously to issue a public censure against Simpson, to issue a letter of apology to the community and to disqualify Simpson from city public service “for violating the city code of conduct and ethics, acting in a manner unbecoming of a city official, and bringing disrepute to the city of Durango municipal government.”
Specifically, Simpson was barred from “serving on any city board or commission, any leadership position within the city, or any representative position of the council and/or any subcommittee of the council,” according to the resolution.
City Attorney Mark Morgan said the prohibition does not bar Simpson from running for or holding office as a city councilor.
Councilors voted unanimously to approve the resolution censoring Simpson.
Councilor Dave Woodruff recounted his onboarding process as an elected official for the city and a point he took to heart: “Always do what is right no matter (if) someone is not watching.”
“It means we’re not going to act with impropriety or even give the illusion of impropriety,” he said. “We’re going to be open and honest about our roles and we’re not going to attempt to hide anything from anyone.”
He said boards and commissions – council appointed – are held to the same standards and reflect the values and integrity of currently serving and previously serving councilors.
The Durango Board of Ethics found Simpson violated three provisions of the city ethics and conduct code – a yearslong issue contemplated by the volunteer board.
Simpson was scrutinized for emails he sent to former councilor Olivier Bosmans in which he allegedly shielded from public review with disclaimers saying the messages were not subject to records requests.
In 2024, City Council reprimanded Bosmans in a resolution that issued a formal apology from City Council to the city manager and city staff members after Bosmans was found to have pushed and encouraged misinformation about the city budget and the city manager.
On Saturday, Simpson said the Board of Ethics’ process was flawed because it was “based on the mechanics of how a volunteer communicates, not on truly unethical behavior that would involve personal or professional gain – which I have never even been accused of.”
He said City Council’s findings – City Council received the Board of Ethics’ report and did not investigate the central ethics complaint – “creates an impossible legal paradox for citizen-volunteers.”
“The Board of Ethics claimed my ‘singular relationship’ with one councilor was an ethical violation,” he said in an email to The Durango Herald. “Yet, under the Colorado Open Meetings Law (COML), communicating with three or more councilors risks facilitating an illegal, non-agendized meeting. By limiting my communication to one or two members, I was following transparency protocols to avoid a quorum and a prior ethics complaint filed against me – conduct for which I am now being punished.”
The Herald called Simpson on Saturday and received an email with written comments in response to a voicemail requesting an interview.
cburney@durangoherald.com
