The problem with the sewer plant did not happen overnight. It’s the result of mismanagement by city officials over the last 10 years who have failed to address these future needs of our community. This failure borders on negligence.
Now at the last minute, officials are using scare tactics to get us to approve the $68 million bond so they can proceed with a quick fix. Sewer rates should have been raised years ago. Crying out, as councilors have recently, that some in the community can’t afford a rise in rates is just more misguided rhetoric to justify the cheapest solution.
This has been coupled with half-truths about other proposed sites, restricting the consultants with unnecessary parameters for evaluating these sites, and outright efforts to sabotage meaningful negotiations with property owners of possible new sites. All this is being done so the city can proceed with its rash predetermined conclusion that Santa Rita is the only viable site for the sewer plant. It is not. It’s the city manager’s easy way out to cover up failures.
Only a no vote on this bond will rectify this situation. Disapproving the bond will be a clear message that citizens won’t tolerate this kind of mismanagement, misrepresentation, and panic solutions to such city issues. It will be a warning to city officials to get back on the right track, and for this issue, hopefully assist in measures to move the sewer plant to a more suitable location, away from Durango’s premiere city park and the gateway to our community.
The south end of Cundiff Park offers this location. If city officials will stop making absurd excuses why Cundiff won’t work like GOCO, BMX and being “politically incorrect” (whatever that means), it would make an excellent site that would serve our community well into the future.
It would also free up five spectacular acres at Santa Rita by the river for additional recreation that more people could enjoy and take pride in for generations to come. Vote no on this quick-fix bond.
Jeffery Brown
Durango
