The upcoming year will be about more than the presidential election, from new land codes in La Plata County to an investigation into irregularities in the city of Durango’s budget, 2020 is shaping up to be a big news year.
Animas River Trail extension: The Durango Parks and Recreation Department is preparing to complete the northern extension of the Animas River Trail in 2020, including a $4.1 million pedestrian bridge across the Animas River at 32nd Street. It’s been almost 10 years since the city began considering plans for the project, which would extend the Animas River Trail to Oxbow Park and Preserve.
CBI investigation: City administrators put former Finance Director Julie Brown on administrative leave in October after internal allegations of misappropriation of public funds. Brown resigned days later, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced it was working with the city on a criminal investigation into similar allegations. CBI and the city have declined to name Brown in connection with the investigations.
City manager search: Durango City Council selected national search firm Slavin Management Consultants to conduct a search for Durango’s next city manager. In the interim, the council picked Amber Blake, former assistant city manager, to lead city operations. Blake recused herself from all discussions related to the city manager search, suggesting she might apply for the position.
Home vacation rentals: Durango and La Plata County officials are working to identify all vacation home rentals to ensure each is getting its share of the lodgers tax. Anyone who rents a property on VRBO, Airbnb or any other vacation-home rental website is required to register for a business license and remit part of the rental income. The lodgers tax funds destination market services for the city, county and other local institutions.
Homelessness: Durango and La Plata County could take more decisive action on homelessness now that a strategic plan is nearing completion. The plan is expected to call for a navigation center that would allow homeless residents or at-risk residents to find help in one location. The document is expected to call for a shelter for those using alcohol and drugs.
Library on Sundays: Patrons want Durango Public Library to return to pre-recession hours and open Sundays and later into the evenings. The library board has argued the department is the only one in the city that hasn’t returned to pre-recession staffing levels. The city manager proposed funding positions but cut the expenditures when City Council said it would consider appropriating the money in 2020.
DeNier discussions: The Robert E. DeNier Youth Services facility has sat empty for more than a year, and all sorts of groups in La Plata County have shared ideas about how it could be used. Although discussions in 2019 were preliminary, the Colorado Department of Human Services, which owns the building, said it plans a public process to elicit ideas about how to use the 15,000-square-foot building in Bodo Industrial Park.
District Attorney: Voters in La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan counties will vote in November to choose Colorado’s 6th Judicial District Attorney. District Attorney Christian Champagne, who has run the largely county-funded office since 2016, said he intends to seek re-election, and as of late December, he has no challengers.
Red flag law: The Colorado General Assembly in 2019 gave District Court judges the authority to seize weapons from people who families or law enforcement believe to be a threat to themselves and others. La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith supported the law, but voters in Archuleta and Montezuma counties have passed resolutions declaring the counties “gun sanctuaries.”
Redwine trial: Chief Judge Jeffery Wilson has said he plans to send jury summons to 1,200 people in La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan counties to find people unbiased about the indictment of Mark Redwine, the Vallecito man accused of killing his 13-year-old son, Dylan, in 2012. The trial is scheduled for four weeks beginning April 2.
Big-time acquisitions: Two successful Durango businesses – Worldpay and GitPrime – that began as startups have been acquired by larger publicly traded companies. Economic officials are watching to see what it means for Durango businesses and employees.
BP sells to renewable company: What does a European renewable energy company want with an aging natural gas field? We might find out in 2020. In November, BP American Production Co. announced it sold its stake in the San Juan Basin to Germany-based IKAV. IKAV has denied requests for interviews, so it’s unclear what its plans are for Southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico. The sale could have wide-ranging impacts on the region, where BP has been a local mainstay. Other major players, like ConocoPhillips, previously took their business elsewhere.
A gusher of new hotel rooms: Durango’s lodging industry will experience the growing pains of accommodating 475 new hotel rooms that will come online in 2020.
Helping entrepreneurs: In 2020, Fort Lewis College plans to open an innovation center in downtown Durango. The overarching purpose of the center – the Center of Innovation – will be to spur economic development in Durango and Southwest Colorado. It will aim to create synergies among various entities in the region, including the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center and the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs.
Election: November 2020 brings some key races to La Plata County. Two seats are up for the county commission as Gwen Lachelt’s and Julie Westendorff’s terms expire. As of Dec. 23, Marsha Porter-Norton, a Democrat, and Jack Turner, running unaffiliated, are vying for Lachelt’s District 2 seat. Charly Minkler, an unaffiliated candidate, and Bayfield Mayor Matt Salka, a Democrat, are running for Westendorff’s District 3 seat.
Land-use code: In 2019, La Plata County officials said the revision of its land-use code wouldn’t be as extensive as previously thought, but making improvements to the current system will help fix the main issues within the outdated regulations brought up over the past three years. The county has faced setbacks since 2016 in updating the codes, but it expects to make headway in 2020. The revision is expected to streamline development, including processes for developers and residents alike. The county has adopted district plans and will now prioritize the rewrite of the larger land-use code.
To tax or not to tax: A survey in 2019 found insufficient community support for a tax increase to help La Plata County’s ailing budget, but that doesn’t mean the issue won’t resurface in 2020. The county’s budget issues affect its ability to fund road improvements and staffing at the Sheriff’s Office and Department of Human Services. In 2015 and 2016, the county’s attempts to increase taxes failed. And according to a survey of about 370 residents in May, it appeared a ballot item asking for a tax increase in 2019 would fail again. It’s possible county commissioners will consider a ballot item in November 2020.
9-R weighing bond measure: Durango School District 9-R might ask voters to extend a property tax in November to pay for millions in school construction projects. Miller Middle School needs major upgrades because of problems with its plumbing and architectural design that do not allow for the addition of a secured vestibule. Also, the district may sell its downtown campus and move its administrative offices into other district buildings.
Fort Lewis College pitches building: Fort Lewis College could receive millions in state funding this spring for a new Health Sciences Center meant to accommodate hundreds of students in popular majors. Gov. Jared Polis ranked the Health Science Center as the No. 1 college construction priority in his 2020-21 budget proposal. Although the ranking is not a guarantee, it bodes well for the school’s $26.5 million request.
Bonita Peak: The Environmental Protection Agency declared the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund site around Silverton in fall 2016, and it’s expected that in 2020, the agency will announce how it intends to tackle the nearly 50 sites considered to be the worst polluters. The EPA has asked for public feedback about whether it should focus on the worst polluters first, go river stretch by river stretch or focus on a water treatment plant. The EPA said it was evaluating its plan and should have answers in 2020.
New radar: The Four Corners has been a “blind spot” in the National Weather Service’s radar modeling because major hubs in Albuquerque, Grand Junction and Flagstaff take in data at elevations too high to home in on the area. The need for a regional radar system became critical after the flood threat increased in the 416 Fire burn scar in 2018. A radar site has been identified, and officials are still figuring out legal access and a temporary radar system may be used again in 2020.
Trial for the train?: The U.S. Forest Service in 2019 named the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as the cause of the 416 Fire, and a trial date is scheduled for September. Will it happen? The D&SNG denied it started the fire and said there’s no legal precedent for the U.S. government to sue for $25 million to recover firefighting costs and damages. The U.S. government disagrees. The process will play out in court in the next few months, but it’s likely the September trial won’t stick. In a separate action, a group of residents sued the railroad for damages.
Bayfield Upgrading internet: In 2019, a town survey found only 20% of respondents reported download speeds that met or exceeded the Federal Communications Commission definition of broadband, 25 megabits per second. Planning for improved broadband will be a top priority in 2020.
Ignacio upgrades: The town of Ignacio wants a stoplight at the busy Becker Street-Goddard Avenue intersection and could install one in fall 2020. The town is also pursuing a new Rock Creek affordable housing development and plans to apply for a state grant to evaluate possibilities. Town leaders also plan to take steps toward becoming a state-certified creative district by asking for public input. The certification comes with state support and could help Ignacio develop its creative economy and appeal to tourists.
Polishing Bayfield’s downtown: The Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trustees likely will continue to invest in the Mill Street area. A Board of Trustees election will be held in May.
Students’ needs: The Bayfield School District’s strategic plan focuses on social-emotional wellness and improved test scores.
Ute language education: The Ignacio School District’s and Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s education departments will work together to further Ute language education programs, one of the main priorities in the 2019 Indian Policies and Procedures meeting.
Water project: In 2020, Bayfield plans to complete a $3 million water infrastructure project to replace decades-old, asbestos-reinforced pipes.
Water rate increases: In Ignacio, utilities customers face rate increases of 90% for water and 50% for wastewater. So far, the town is not looking for ways to support customers who will struggle with the adjustment.
Public health care option: The Colorado Legislature is expected to review a plan to provide a new, more affordable health care option for individuals in the coming session and potentially pass new laws to support it. The goal is expected to be achieved by increasing insurance carriers’ share of insurance premiums for medical care from 80% to 85%. The state also would cap how much hospitals could be reimbursed for care through a formula that would be applied hospital by hospital. However, it’s unclear what the formula would look like.
Water projects: Southwest Colorado water projects could have a better chance of receiving funding after the passage of Proposition DD, a statewide ballot measure that legalized sports betting. The measure could bring in as much as $29 million annually to fund water infrastructure, such as new water storage projects. The Colorado Water Plan sets a goal of increasing 400,000 acre-feet of water storage by 2050.
Behavioral health initiatives: San Juan County hired its first behavioral health coordinator in 2019 after a study showed service gaps and the need for community coordination. The county will continue to focus on behavioral health needs in 2020, including partnerships with local service providers.
Downtown Farmington Main Street renovations: Plans to renovate Main Street in downtown Farmington will ramp up as construction projects start in January. As part of New Mexico’s Main Street Initiative, the city plans to widen sidewalks, construct roundabouts and create gathering places throughout downtown.
Outdoor Recreation Industry Initiative: The city of Farmington’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Initiative, established in 2018 to promote a regional outdoor industry, will ramp up in 2020. The initiative looks to promote outdoor recreation and attract outdoors businesses to Farmington.
San Juan Generating Station: Public Service Co. of New Mexico plans to close the generating station in 2022 and diversify the economy to offset the plant’s job losses. The city of Farmington is pursuing an option to let Enchant Energy do a pilot study of carbon capture technology at the plant, a plan environmental advocates say is not feasible.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
