The city of Durango is taking a new approach to public engagement with its trivia night program “Nerds Night Out.”
The monthly event is still in its infancy, but it’s a rambunctious, raunchy romp incomparable to most bureaucratic assemblies.
Robert’s Rules of Order are thrown out the window at Nerds Night Out, replaced by fast fact checks about the Durango area’s history, city government functions and pop quiz questions about everything “Durango.”
Durango Public Library Director Luke Alvey-Henderson emcees Nerds Night Out with a vigorous, dynamite performance. Instead of overlooking the layperson's boredom or disinterest with government functions, he leans into it, cracking jokes about bureaucracy and utterly mundane but necessary humdrum.
The second trivia session was held earlier this month at EsoTerra Ciderworks at 558 Main Ave. in downtown Durango. The third event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at EsoTerra. Other businesses interested in hosting a trivia night are welcome to reach out to the city, according to city news releases.
Four teams participated in five rounds of trivia at EsoTerra Ciderworks on Nov. 14. Teams of up to five people were allowed, although there was at least one team featuring just one person.
Team “RFK Science Club” took first place, while “Jake’s Angels” claimed second place. “La Plata Know-A-Lotta (not really though)” nabbed third place, while “Trivies” came in at fourth place.
Durango Public Engagement Specialist Klancy Nixon, the woman behind the city’s trivia night concept, said she pitched Nerds Night Out as a more relaxed and fun venue for the city and the public to interact in.
“Not everything has to be heavy and bureaucratic. It's a little bit different from our public meetings,” she said.
She said the meetings have a purpose and that the city’s asking for specific feedback, but Nerds Night Out “gives a lightness” to the city as an organization and emphasizes community engagement.
On Nov. 14, Nerds Night Out had 14 participants who were challenged on city of Durango history, Durango city government officials, boards and programs, and water issues.
Nixon said the general intent was to not only entertain participants, but also sneak in some educational information that hopefully sticks with participants in the long run.
“We don't necessarily have a solid objective other than to give information in a different, fun, interactive way,” she said.
She said Nerds Night Out is also a chance to interact with city employees outside of City Hall’s Smith Council Chambers or dull, formal meeting spaces.
“It's humanizing our staff,” she said.
The city’s getting more than social credit from Nerds Night Out, though. Nixon said the trivia questions’ responses actually provide real feedback about how informed or uninformed residents are about current city issues.
For example, she said every single team incorrectly answered “true” to the trivia question that a proposed 2005 sales tax reauthorization would raise the current sales tax rate in Durango.
If approved by voters in April, the proposed sales tax reauthorization would maintain its current half-cent rate. The tax would help fund the renovation of a new city hall at 201 E. 12th St.
cburney@durangoherald.com
