Dear Action Line: Why do people insist on turning left onto north Main Avenue from the north City Market parking lot, despite having a “No Left Turn” sign right there at the exit! Why can’t CDOT put up a new readable sign and put it in a place that people can see it? – Seeking a Sign
Dear Seeking: The Colorado Department of Transportation said the sign was City Market’s responsibility. City Market said uh-uh, no way, it was CDOT’s. Then City Market’s corporate affairs got involved and all progress was halted because, corporate.
Mike Somsen, street superintendent for Durango, said it is City Market’s sign.
“It is so far out of the grocery business, they do not maintain these unless forced to do so. It will probably take a letter from Community Development and/or CDOT to get the ball rolling on this one,” he said. “I’ll get the ball and hand it to Community Development and CDOT.”
Dear Action Line: It is ironic that the Durango Public Library, a paragon of knowledge, can’t seem to figure out how to open during the pandemic. Schools are open. In fact, everything I can think of is open, albeit in modified form. Why is the library the last holdout? – Curbside Doesn’t Cut It
Dear Curbside: The library has stayed closed for health and financial reasons, said Sandy Irwin, director of the library.
COVID-19 cases were expected to rise with schools reopening, and studies have shown that the virus lives on library materials for two to five-plus days. Library staff members were not willing to risk getting anyone sick, she said.
“Libraries across the U.S. have opened only to have to close their doors again because of the spread of the virus, whether it is from contact tracing or an outbreak among staff,” she said.
The library is also still closed because some staff positions are vacant and next year’s budget is not finalized.
“We do not know if those positions can be filled since we are facing cuts of at least 10%,” she said.
The good news is the library is planning to reopen Oct. 13, but hours will be limited. The library’s online digital resources, which include e-books, e-audio and databases, are available, and the regular collection is available with curbside service. Irwin said you can also sit outside the library and use its Wi-Fi from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we finalize the details,” she said.
Dear Action Line: The flyer for the recent hazardous waste event said it would take place in “Septemper,” which seems to predict the event would result in anger and irritation. A story in The Durango Herald after the event mentioned some people were, indeed, testy. How did the flyer-maker know? – Fortune Seeker.
Dear Seeker: The collection day was a joint effort between Durango and La Plata County.
Megan Graham, spokeswoman for the county, said the city made the sign, but “Septemper” still works. “Given the tenor of 2020, it seems appropriate to call the months like we see them. Wherever you look, tempers seem to be rising – so why not at a free community event to collect citizens’ cast-off chemical caches?” she said.
“Septemper” also helped to temper frustration and gave folks an appreciation of the event, she said “rather than hurl fertilizer into a dumpster and call it a day.”
Imogen Ainsworth, sustainability coordinator with the city, took responsibility for “Septemper.” “I wish I could claim the misplaced ‘p’ to be a stroke of comedic clairvoyance, but sadly, it is simply a run-of-the-mill typo,” she said.
Ainsworth was directing traffic throughout the event. “The vast majority of attendees were remarkably patient and gracious, despite the long lines and hot day,” she said. ‘We are certainly grateful to everyone who attended and gave up part of their Saturday to dispose of hazardous waste in a responsible manner.”
Action Line suggests for next year, in September, or Septemper, the waste collection day is theme-based like Snowdown. Start with late ’70s music like the Earth Wind and Fire song “September.” Volunteers can wear colorful jumpsuits and sing:
“Ba de ya, say do you remember?
Ba de ya, recycling September.
Ba de ya, giving that old paint away (yoww).
Ba duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda.”
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. If you send in a question and don’t see it answered right away, it probably scared the government official to whom it was sent, and/or is being reviewed by Legal (yoww).
