During the past seven years, I have been honored to serve on Durango City Council, and I am humbled to start my second term as mayor.
I would like to thank Melissa Youssef for her exceptional leadership during the past year, and to all of my fellow councilors for their commitment to public service.
We are facing one of the greatest challenges of our lifetimes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. City Council is singularly focused on our people’s health, safety and well-being. Since the pandemic began, we have worked hand-in-hand with San Juan Basin Public Health to embrace public health guidelines. We will continue to base all our actions on the expertise of medical professionals.
Our economic response begins with an effective public health response. We aim to do everything within our power to ensure Durango is prepared to recover both quickly and sustainably. Since I became mayor on April 21, we have taken action to evaluate our city budget, waive utility fees and defer sales taxes. We will take careful steps to reopen public spaces and businesses safely, in line with health authorities.
Importantly, last week, City Council unanimously approved the creation of the Durango Renewal Partnership, designed to stimulate economic growth, particularly in areas that need the most investment. This urban renewal authority will be one tool to help our city bounce back by creating jobs, affordable housing and stimulus while preserving Durango’s character. This idea has been years in the making, and I am grateful we worked together to build this partnership, especially at a moment when our community needs it the most.
The economic hardship will undoubtedly be difficult, but I am confident Durango will respond as strong as ever. In past crises, our community has always proven its resilience.
In my previous term as mayor, we wrestled with a much different, but daunting, crisis that originated outside our city: the Gold King Mine spill. We worked collaboratively with local, state and national officials – regardless of politics – to manage the immediate emergency, clean up the Animas River and boost our economy. I testified before Congress, and we all fought hard for the EPA to designate the watershed a Superfund site.
Just as we have united when faced with the spill, forest fires or past economic recessions, we have an opportunity to shape our own recovery. And we are on the right path. The Durango Renewal Partnership is a perfect example of what City Council can do when we work toward a common purpose and vision.
We will not always agree on City Council, and that is healthy. Any democratic body is best served by elected officials who offer different points of view. I have always approached my role with an eye toward compromise and listening carefully to different opinions. I also feel strongly about the future of the city, and I am a passionate advocate for all our residents. That is why I have served in different roles, from council to city commissions and local nonprofits.
While we agree on many things, including our most immediate priorities, we do have differences of opinion about the role of City Council itself. I believe councilors should set policy, review and approve the budget, and be a voice for the residents of Durango in a productive relationship with city government staff. That is why a majority of council has proposed a common type of working agreement – rules of engagement – designed to help us focus on the city’s business efficiently and effectively.
Some argue that the working agreement is a distraction. I believe the public will be well served if we outline ethical guidelines and conduct; encourage collaboration, respect and transparency; and formalize long-standing practices to avoid conflicts of interest and inappropriate influence over city staff, boards and commissions. Checks and balances are vital for good governance.
To be clear, councilors have every right to express their individual opinions as residents. It is also true that elected officials should be held to a higher standard in service of our constituents. While we will respectfully debate this issue, we will not let it distract from our most immediate concern: recovery.
I want to thank the people of our city and my fellow councilors for the opportunity to serve the community I have called home for 40 years. I love this place and my neighbors. This is going to be a difficult year, but together Durango always pulls through.
Dean Brookie is mayor of Durango, a position rotating among members of City Council.
