I am writing in response to the March 18 Herald story about the city’s ultimatum to the gun club. City attorney David Smith denies any prior city planning or motivation to execute a “taking” of the Durango Gun Club and cites public complaints received that accuse the city of sponsoring free speech, association and First Amendment rights at taxpayer expense. Smith frets about the city making a de facto endorsement of the NRA because it is “essentially” a political organization. Probably much like the NEA/Colorado Teachers Association the city recognizes and bargains with.
My challenge to The Durango Herald is to undertake investigative reporting through filing Freedom of Information Act requests to the city of Durango for all correspondence, emails, memorandums, records of conversations and directives mentioning the Durango Gun Club as well as minutes of the brief “no-brainer” City Council meeting Smith cites to the Herald. Find the truth and print it.
Ward Olson
Durango
Editor’s note: The city of Durango does not bargain with the Colorado Teachers Association or any teachers union. Negotiations with education-related unions is the business of Durango School District 9-R, which is unaffiliated with the city of Durango.
