Each week we highlight some of the most insightful, passionate and witty comments shared on Facebook in response to stories in The Durango Herald.
This week, people weighed in on the closure of Purple Cliffs, new housing regulations and the train whistle.
We enjoy readers’ input and reactions to local stories: People can weigh in on our Facebook page, at the bottom of local news stories at www.durangoherald.com and by writing a letter to the editor.
Here are a few comments that stood out this week:
“Project Moxie needs to find non government money to achieve their objectives. Taxpayers’ money spent on homeless is taxpayer’s money wasted. Our community will be better with the homeless deciding the free ride is better somewhere else, and going there to get it. The noisy 16 coercing the signatures of well under one percent of taxpayers to spend our dollars to support an ornery 85 homeless is not democracy at work.” – Robert Evans
“It’s easy to make judgments about a situation or whole group of people, and harder to get real facts and delve into the complexity of actual reality. To solve a problem, you have to do the latter. Anyone who is interested in real facts (instead of judgments) can refer to the Survey posted on NINA’s website, done of local unhoused people in May this year. Providing services to assist people out of this situation helps not only those people, but the safety and welfare of our whole community.” – Carolyn Hunter
“Of course no one has been adding any (ADUs), the administration of White, Rinderle and Brookie (former Durango city councilors) killed the ADU expansions. They didn't like the competition. Oh and no conflict of interests there btw. Too bad now that contractors are taking advantage of the money moving in and pricing the working folks out of getting anything done affordably.” – Josh Cool
In response to Josh Cool: “It’s not ‘contractors taking advantage,’ it’s a whole snowball of rising prices, including materials, transportation, labor, etc. At $350/SF (about the cheapest you can build anything now), a 550 SF ADU costs $192,500. An $8k credit helps, but doesn’t make too significant of an impact. At $1000/mo rent, it barely covers the extra mortgage. $1500-1800 is more realistic and closer to current market rate, and would give homeowners a little extra income. – Tracy Reynolds
“The courthouse bells silenced for a dozen complainers. Now folks are targeting the train whistle ... get real folks. These iconic sounds define Durango and have been part of our town for a long time; long before the complainers moved here. If a person wishes to complain about noise, this past weekend and the motorcycle rally should provide plenty of noise to complain about – ear-shattering, and what is the reason for all that racket? ‘Look at me!!’ If you do not like the noise, move back to where you came from. And quickly please.” – Mike Downing
“Aren’t there more important things in life to be concerned about than a train whistle that is blown for the safety of others? Personally I think the whistle is a nice reminder of when we actually had good railroads across the nation.” – Ed Lehner
“A well written (and somewhat length) article, Tyler. Hopefully it satisfies people on both sides of the whistle. The truth is, people die from no warning signals. My older brother passed away a month ago from a train hitting the side of his semi. He stopped at the tracks, his chase truck was behind him. No warning, no whistle from the train. He went for it, got hit, and pinned in the cab. Now his chase truck driver has to testify he heard nothing. Be glad you hear something, Durango. It’s there for your safety. Blow your whistle D&S Narrow Gauge. Blow that thing the length of the whole town. Remind these folks stuck in their own world why this town really has a spot on the map.” – Michael Ross
