The longtime attorney for the towns of Bayfield and Ignacio is leaving for the big city.
Sort of.
Durango City Council announced last week it had hired Dirk Nelson as the next city attorney. Nelson was selected from 16 applicants to replace David Smith, Durango’s current city attorney.
“I’m going to miss all of the relationships I’ve developed over the years, but I’m not going to be far away,” Nelson said Wednesday from his office.
Nelson has practiced law in Southwest Colorado since 1983 and has bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He grew up in Bayfield, then returned to the area in 1983.
In addition to a private practice, he began working as Ignacio’s town attorney in 1985 or 1986, then became Bayfield’s attorney shortly after that. He’s also worked as the attorney for the Bayfield and Ignacio library districts; Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, the Upper Pine River and Fort Lewis Mesa fire protection districts; and the Regional Housing Alliance, among others.
Nelson’s starting annual salary will be $140,000, and his first day will be March 15, according to a news release from the city. He is a Durango city employee, which is a new arrangement for the position, he said. He will have a paralegal and some support staff members, but he will be the city’s primary attorney.
“I’m kind of used to that,” he said.
On one hand, Nelson said he’ll be doing a different job, but on the other, it’s similar to what he’s doing now.
“I think local government is the closest government to the people and provides locals services, and I’ve enjoyed doing that sort of work,” he said. “It’s very personal.”
Nelson said he had been serving fewer private clients as time went by, and his office on County Road 501 will be open for awhile longer for clients to pick up their files. His office can be reached at 884-9561.
He’ll be working for awhile with Smith in Durango, and will assist his replacement or replacements, in Bayfield and Ignacio as needed to get them “up to speed,” he said.
