Spending priorities, including compensation for Durango City Council members, were addressed Tuesday by City Council candidates at a forum hosted by the Durango Chamber of Commerce.

Most candidates said council pay is appropriate where it is at – $867 per month, or $10,404 per year – but candidate David Woodruff broke from the pack to support increasing the pay councilors receive.

“We should pay council commensurate on the amount of time they are expected to work,” he said.

And, raising pay for councilors would “broaden the purview of who can participate in our elected officials process,” he said.

Candidate Carter Rogers took a different stance: instead of focusing on higher pay to broaden the field of candidates, the city should focus on making Durango more affordable to begin with.

“Let’s first focus on making Durango more affordable to live in and framing some of (that) time for residents to dedicate to City Council,” he said.

Candidate Douglas Snow said even though he thinks council pay is appropriate where it is set, he can imagine exceptions in which more pay is justifiable, namely events that require extra work hours from councilors. He also suggested a raise in pay for councilors who are reelected for a second term as another possibility.

On the broader topic of city spending, housing, infrastructure and transportation topped many councilors’ lists of spending priorities.

Candidates Rogers and Harrison Wendt said housing is their No. 1 spending priority, and every councilor except for Snow counted housing among their top three priorities.

Rogers said there is room for improvement for the city to invest in housing solutions. He said infrastructure initiatives rank No. 2 in his mind for city spending. He cited his experience as a network administrator for the town of Ralston and said the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the utility of accessible internet. His No. 3 spending priority is for city transportation; he proposed expanding transit services.

Wendt said city facilities and basic infrastructure needs are the second most important spending focus, and transportation ranks third.

“Dave (Woodruff) and I toured the police department and it was really sad to see, honestly, that that’s the conditions that they’re having to work in,” Wendt said. “It is outdated. They don’t have enough space. Half their supplies are being kept out at the Three Springs substation.”

Snow kept his response brief, saying traffic and streets, city operations such as trash services, and the tourism industry are his top spending priorities.

Woodruff said city services, infrastructure and housing – in no particular order – top his spending list.

“I don’t think, necessarily, the city needs to get into the housing business, but how can we make it so that development can happen very quickly?” he said.

With respect to city services, the police station has occupied its current building since the 1960s, and the location was decided on roughly 60 years ago as a “temporary solution.”

“I think it’s time they really have the proper facilities to meet the city’s growing needs,” he said.

Candidate Gilda Yazzie said the city’s fixed costs are her top spending priority. She also wants to ensure the city has discretionary income to spend. She supports revisiting the possibility of building a new parking facility at the Transit Center at 250 W. Eighth St. where permit parking spaces are offered. And, the city needs to have more discussions about how to provide transitional and workforce housing to residents.

In a rapid-fire round of yes-or-no questions, every candidate but Snow said “yes,” they support building a parking garage. Snow said “maybe.” Responding to another rapid-fire question, every candidate but Rogers said “yes,” they would support a new conference center.

Election ballots for the April 4 City Council election will begin arriving in the mailboxes of eligible Durango electors as early this week, according to the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.

cburney@durangoherald.com