Urban renewal plans provide hope for the future (“
They are also vulnerable to corruption, especially if sweetheart deals are made with out-of-state bidders without any skin in the game. And, planning, with real data and the experts to manage such projects, will be crucial for their success.
And perhaps the hardest part of successfully implementing such a program is avoiding the cronyism and the no-bid contracts that development can attract.
The only way for urban renewal to succeed in Durango is to allow for a thorough, and public, vetting of contractors and their subcontractors. The financing of every project must be completely transparent and no one person should have the power to select the winning bidders. There should be open hearings for public input at every step. There is no symbiosis without keeping taxpayers in the loop.
So proceed with caution. Small towns like Durango don’t have the financial cushion for gross errors in judgment or management.
This is an opportunity to increase employment over the long haul. Don’t blow it.
David OhmanDurango
