Meet the candidates

Council hopefuls sound off on biggest issues facing Durango

by Telegraph staff

It’s that time again – the election for Durango City Council is April 4. By now, you should have received your ballot, which can be submitted anytime between now and 7 p.m. Election Day.

For a complete rundown of where and how to vote, visit the La Plata County Clerk & Recorder’s website at https://bit.ly/42rbtgu.

This time around, five candidates are vying for two open seats on the council. Sitting council members Kim Baxter and Barbara Noseworthy are not seeking reelection after serving one term.

This week, we asked the candidates – Carter Rogers, Douglas Snow, Harrison Wendt, David Woodruff and Gilda Yazzie – a range of questions about issues facing Durango in the years to come. Here are their answers.

■ Carter Rogers

Current Occu- pation: Network administrator for the Town of Ralston, Okla.; student senator for FLC Student Government; currently president of the Associated Students of Fort Lewis College.

Favorite/least favorite thing about Durango: My favorite thing about Durango are the people and the community you can find here. My least favorite thing about Durango is the inability to find or access quality health care. But, that’s not our health-care workers’ fault! It’s the fault of the rising cost of living and housing affordability, which continue to push our essential workers out of our community.

What tangible steps do you think the City of Durango can take to help ease the housing crisis? First, we need to repair our relationship with La Plata County after failing to follow through on the promises we made during the Purple Cliffs situation. That means partnering to find a more permanent solution for a managed camp. Second, reassess the fees developers are able to pay in order to not include affordable housing.

If elected, what issue would you bring to the spotlight? The Next Step Project (the city’s plan to redevelop downtown) and how the City Council has neglected input from key stakeholders on Main Avenue. We need to take our business owners into consideration before messing with a central part of our economy.

Why are you running for Durango City Council? I’m running for Durango City Council because I’m a concerned resident. Concerned in the sense that the residents of our community have been put on the back burner for too long in lieu of special interests such as big-name realtors and real estate agents who have been elected to council in the past and only stood to benefit themselves and their friends rather than the residents of Durango. We need a candidate who isn’t beholden to any one group.

■ Harrison Wendt

Previous/Current Occupation: Youth programming coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango.

Favorite/least favorite thing about Durango: My favorite thing about Durango is the people. When I moved here, I came for the outdoor recreation; the beautiful trails, skiing and camping. I ultimately found my chosen family and my home. One of my least favorite things about Durango is af- fordability. We all want to share this city that we love, but the unfortunate truth is that our city has become unaffordable and our people, young and old, are being priced out. What tangible steps do you think the City of Durango can take to help ease the housing crisis? Examine the Fair-Share Program adopted in 2009. We must work to create a policy that is reflective of our current crisis. We must also find a steady and reliable funding stream to help tackle housing initiatives. We have a $4.2 million a year shortfall in housing for our city budget, and we can cover it for the next two years, but the city needs to develop a plan to find a reliable stream to continue there-after.

If elected, what issue would you bring to the spotlight? Financial priorities for our most pressing issues. Transportation will experience a large budgeting shortfall if changes aren’t made. Public transportation is integral to our economy, environment, neighbors and the continued expansion of housing.

Why are you running for Durango City Council? Because I believe we need leadership that approaches the job with compassion, collaboration and a willingness to listen and learn. I have lived with my own housing insecurities. And I have struggled to put food on the table. This is a reality for many in our community, and my lived experience is a reflection of that reality. Durango deserves to have leadership that represents them and their lived experience.

Gilda Yazzie

Previous/Current Occupation: Previously, a contractor and sub- contractor in the construction industry. Now, devoting my time to running for Durango City Council.

Favorite/least favorite thing about

Durango: My favorite thing about Durango is strolling downtown at night, during the Christmas season, enjoying the historic character and cultural aspects. My least favorite thing is the fact that the current proposal for Next Steps has left out the opinion of many business owners.

What tangible steps do you think the City of Durango can take to help ease the housing crisis? I want to help the city make significant advances in addressing the problem by identifying potential city, county, state or federal lands for affordable housing, which would help drive down the cost of housing. I also want to research other communities around the U.S. and the West that are facing this same issue and see what strategies are working that we can apply to our community.

If elected, what issue would you bring to the spotlight? Making the community feel included in the decisions facing Durango. The current divisiveness on the City Council, recent proposals to eliminate city boards and commissions, and business community members feeling like their input is not welcome in the Next Steps plan are of great concern to me. Residents, business owners and community organizations must be meaningfully involved in the decisions that affect our community. When that does not occur, it fosters a climate of distrust and hinders progress toward a shared vision of how our community should address issues and how it should look in the future.

Why are you running for Durango City Council? I’m running for Durango City Council to help keep our community moving forward. Durango is facing many difficult and complex issues, and I believe my professional background and experience will positively contribute to city leadership discussions and decision-making.

■

Doug Snow

Previous occupation: Electrician

My favorite thing about Durango: The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

What tangible steps do you think the City of Durango can take to help ease the housing crisis? That is a rough topic, which just might need more than one solution. Often, people just talk about low income housing and overlook any other income levels. Would it be crazy if Durango commissioned the construction of its own rental apartments to help fill some of the needed housing? Real estate is real estate – it could always be sold at some point and generate rental income until then. Doing something directly may be one of those options that could still be debated on and brought to a vote if there is enough interest.

If elected, what issue would you bring to the spotlight? We need flashing lights for several of the cross walks on north Main Ave. We have installed several of those crosswalks on Camino del Rio, and north Main Ave. has the same amount of traffic. Some areas of town are in need of sidewalks. We all know governments can find many ways of complicating things, even with the best of intentions. I intend to make sure the city is transparent to all, and to make sure there is no funny stuff going on. If there is, it will be brought to light. I’ll ask questions. I’ll look for answers or questions, and spotlight those things.

Why are you running for Durango City Council? It’s a way that I can give back to Durango and make a difference. I was born and raised here, and I want to see Durango continue being such an amazing place. I’ve been feeling like our government doesn’t listen, no one cares and nothing gets done. It seems like the people don’t have a voice any more.

■ Dave Woodruff

Previous/Current Occupation: General manager of El Moro from 2013-22. Currently the bar manager at 11th Street Station.

Favorite/least favorite thing about Durango: Favorite: Our community. Least favorite: Being far from big city amenities and resources. What tangible steps do you think the City of Durango can take to help ease the housing crisis? Find ways to help work with developers and builders on some of the pre-development costs associated with new developments, like infrastructure planning and renderings/drawings. Additionally, finding ways to infill lots and land in our existing city inventory with housing. Lastly, make ADUs easier for homeowners to create, and creating a variance process to bypass antiquated code restrictions.

If elected, what issue would you bring to the spotlight? That we can work together as a City Council to create local impact for the people living here. Also, that we can work alongside La Plata County to problem-solve the array of issues that affect our community.

Why are you running for Durango City Council? Service to the community through the lens of hospitality. By bringing my hospitality business background, I am hoping to bring the right temperament to council and have a good grasp of what our workforce challenges are. Focusing on affordable and workforce housing is incredibly important to me, and I hope we, as a council, can move the needle on rental and purchase inventory locally. I also have a vested interest in the future of Durango with raising my family here and want the best for my family and also for everyone in our community. ■