Durango City Council filled 11 vacancies on volunteer city boards and commissions last month, including to the city’s new Cultural and Community Relations Commission, with several vacancies still remaining.
The city of Durango has been advertising the vacancies for several months with the hopes of attracting applicants to fill out vacant positions.
Councilors partnered up to interview applicants for the various boards ahead of the appointments at the last regular meeting of November.
They approved six appointments to the Cultural and Community Relations Commission, which replaced the Community Relations Commission after four of its five members resigned in November 2022. The members resigned after the city posted a “Happy Columbus Day” message to its Facebook page on Indigenous Peoples Day. City Council declined to issue a formal apology for the post. The city passed a resolution in 2016 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.
The old CRC fielded resident complaints and served as a mediator between residents and the city of Durango. The new CCRC was established in August with the refined mission of building relationships and raising awareness of diverse community members’ needs, Klancy Nixon, community engagement specialist, said then.
The city clerk’s office received eight applications for the seven-seat board. Three applicants were appointed to one-year terms and three applicants were appointed to two-year terms to establish a staggered appointment process for the new commission.
Mayor Jessika Buell said an interview with one applicant who applied late on Nov. 19, the day of the appointments, would still be interviewed for consideration for a later appointment.
Scott Smith, Maria Moreno and Dina Sanchez were appointed with one-year terms and D’lynn Jacobs, Blair Martinez and Carla Hase were appointed to two-year terms.
Councilors voted 4-0 to approve the appointments. Councilor Olivier Bosmans abstained from voting on the basis he didn’t understand why one applicant, Christa Turnell, was not appointed.
In other appointments, long-term alternate member on the Durango-La Plata County Airport Commission Gary Derck was appointed to a three-year term on the board. His seat is a jointly city- and county-appointed position.
“The current applicant, Gary Derck, has been on the board in this seat for quite some time and the county has indicated they are intending to appoint him for another three-year term,” said Ben Florine, chief deputy clerk.
Councilors also unanimously approved the following appointments:
- Laurel Glidden and Danielle Dyess to the Historic Preservation Board.
- Ellen Yolks to the state-mandated Retirement Plan Board, which oversees retirement plans for city employees.
- Tom Barney to the Financial Advisory Board.
City Clerk Faye Harmer told The Durango Herald in September the Financial Advisory Board is one of the most desirable positions and receives among the most applications because members are tasked with financial oversight involving the city.
cburney@durangoherald.com
