By Tony Rocha, Karen Anesi, Brie Stahnke and Mike Todt
Boulevard Neighborhood Association board of directors
Not too long ago, three members of the city of Durango’s Utility Commission either resigned or did not reapply to the commission after advancing an opinion that was not in agreement with the city’s controversial plan for its sewer treatment plant. Two of the three members of this commission were engineers, one having served 12 years on the advisory panel.
After the rift, city officials suggested it might be time to dissolve such a commission. Apparently, the city thought it no longer needed advice on water and wastewater issues from those offering their expertise.
The drama played out before the public, but its aftermath is still alive within diverse segments of the community. They’re now asking: What’s the real purpose of the city’s 19 boards and commissions and its various advisory groups?
The city’s website says the volunteer commissions exist so residents can “play a part in the city’s decision making process” and “to provide expertise.”
Yet the refrain is growing louder: The wheels of the city’s bus go round and round. The city needs help greasing the wheels on this bumpy ride.
Not every person who serves on a commission automatically rubber stamps city recommendations, but there’s a perception that the real role of commissions is to advance the agenda, objectives or projects the city has prioritized. Commission volunteers are generous with their time and expertise, often doing the heavy lifting or serving as ambassadors to get community backing for ideas that might not otherwise fly on their own.
Commission members are advisory only; appointments are made by the City Council. Any recommendation a commission suggests can be overturned by the City Council. Not to diminish the valuable role the commissioners can play, the council’s job is obviously made easier when the folks on the bus behave, stay in their seats and keep the noise down.
The city rightfully takes pride in its invitation for citizen input, yet there’s a recurring pattern when the city doesn’t agree with citizen testimony, actual data or warnings of unintended consequences learned elsewhere.
Whether it is the retail sale of marijuana or a plastic bag tax, the listening begins only when the wheels are about to come off the bus. That might explain the number of decision reversals, policy revisions and the haggling at the council level, which lately seems to be the rule, rather than the exception. Simply put: The city puts its ears on too late in the ride.
Elected officials have a right to disagree with the recommendations of advisory groups and commissions, but in recent years, issues have been raised about ethical conflicts of interest within city leadership and about what the obligation of the City Council is when considering the recommendations of committees. Commissioners are ostensibly appointed as representatives of the community and charged with specific responsibilities as detailed in the City Charter, the city of Durango Code of Ordinances or the enacting resolution.
Several months ago, two members of the city’s Historic Preservation Board, who had served with distinction and applied for renewal on the board, were rejected. Coincidentally, they too were engineers. Both were replaced by applicants who had recently moved to Durango, who do not live within either historic district and who were arguably less qualified to serve.
The city is about to review and rewrite its complex preservation ordinances, a process that requires perspective and experience. These ordinances affect only those who actually live in Durango’s residential historic district or residents who own businesses in the downtown historic zone overlay. It makes sense that the seven-member board should have more than one representative from the area affected by its decisions – rather than the city removing this representation.
When this was called to the attention of the City Council before the HPB appointments were finalized, Mayor Christina Rinderle’s comments were especially revealing. She reminded the audience in council chambers that the city would soon be dealing with development on Camino del Rio and North Main Avenue.
The HPB does not have jurisdiction over the commercial development or repurposing of buildings in these areas. There are no historic structures in either place. If the councilors are not aware of the jurisdiction or the charge of a particular board, what criteria do they use when selecting applicants to serve?
Is there a “we know best” culture within present city leadership that now interferes with the historic role of these commissions? Possibly.
The city remains sensitive to the needs of the community, but somewhere between the invitation for citizen input and the actual decision making process, the bus gets off course.
Many issues, including the housing shortage in Durango, are complex and need expertise beyond what staff can provide. To city planners’ credit, in late 2014, they proposed to the council that a Housing Policy Advisory Committee be formed. The charge of the diverse group was to facilitate citizen input and to ensure an effective and comprehensive housing program.
Stakeholders and volunteers from all segments of the community have put their heads together to discuss a broad range of housing topics such as inclusionary housing, motel-to-residential, density and demolition code policies. Members apparently requested data from other communities with similar challenges, because they knew someone, somewhere, had likely invented this wheel. Data gathered from Fort Lewis College regarding the number of student rentals in Durango differed greatly from what came from city staff.
The charge of this Housing Policy Advisory Committee is well intended, yet without minutes or even straw polls being taken at the end of each facilitated discussion, who is to say if there is consensus? Is there a majority opinion? Has anyone asked?
The wheels of the democracy bus grind slowly. We get that. Let’s not burn out our generous and busy volunteers by reinforcing the suspicion that government is merely going through the motions to appear transparent or to get its citizenry to sell its wish list to the taxpayers. Until people start believing that the city’s invitation for resident involvement is not for show, but for substance, nothing will change.
Good leaders are not threatened by those who demand hard evidence of the efficacy of proposed programs or code changes. Nor are they put off by passengers on the bus who question where the bus is going.
Reach the Boulevard Neighborhood Association at bnadurango@gmail.com. Its website is bnadurango.org. Also adding their names to this piece are Phoebe Hemphill, Susan Davies, Heather Bryson, Dave McHenry, Alma T. Evans, Darrah Westrup, Martha McClellan, Tim Wolf, Merle Harrison, Paula Akin, Bruce Garlick, Barb Garlick, Jane Foy and Jim Dodson.
