At the May 1, 2018, city council meeting, Mayor Marbury announced with “a new mayor in town, there are new procedures we’re implementing tonight.”
These procedures impact a citizen’s right to address issues with officials elected to hear our concerns. Citizens cannot request a consent agenda item be reviewed, and comments are limited to three minutes during public participation and hearings.
Neither a formal vote nor an explanation preceded these changes. This autocratic approach and new rules damages citizens’ relationship to the council.
Why would councilors make such dramatic changes in the democratic process so autocratically? The city’s organizational chart shows the council reporting to and accountable to citizens. Reducing citizen input time by 40 percent and not providing a rationale sends a powerful message. We didn’t elect councilors to minimize our voice; councilors have a moral duty to listen to and use citizen input to craft decisions.
On contentious issues, meetings will be long because citizens need time to share views. Democracy is not just about efficiency; it’s about maximizing participation. Some councilors could become more efficient in their remarks (three minutes) if long meeting times are so difficult for them.
Maximizing citizen voice is important when critical issues arise, such as a new tax. The council, in the past, frequently ignored or minimized citizen input to its detriment, e.g., plastic bags referendum, retail marijuana in neighborhoods, vacation rentals, airport tax.
As the Washington Post’s masthead indicates, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” In Durango, we have gone from daylight to darkness.
Michael Todt
Durango
