Bayfield Board of Trustees member Eli Luke, who began his position in April, will not be continue in 2023.
Luke said his resignation has nothing to do with the board.
“Me leaving has nothing to do with the board,” he said. “The board is great. The mayor is great. The whole team is phenomenal. It was hard for me to make the decision.”
Luke’s decision ultimately came down to a job offer he could not turn down. The engineer was offered a project manager position with his old independent research company in Golden, where he had previously worked for 11 years.
“They gave me an offer I couldn’t really refuse,” he said. “I worked at the wastewater plant for the city of Durango, and I got all my certifications for wastewater treatment and kind of made my way up the ranks a little bit and became an interim supervisor at the plant. It was a great job and a great time with the city. But I just had gotten to a point where I couldn’t really advance any further, professionally and financially.”
Luke said his time as a member of the board of trustees gave him invaluable insight into how a town is governed.
“It was really different, but it was a great experience for sure,” he said. “I had never been an elected official or a politician before, and I definitely had a great team of people to work with. The politics is definitely a lot different than what I’ve done in my entire career and education.”
Luke also does not rule out returning to Bayfield or the Durango area in the future.
“My family is here,” he said. “My mom and younger brothers are here.”
Katie Sickles, Bayfield’s town manager, said Luke was an important member of the board.
“His professional experience in public utilities was beneficial as a Trustee,” said Sickles in an email to The Durango Herald.
She added that Bayfield’s Board of Trustees would be looking for new candidates in the new year.
“The Board will adhere to State Statutes to fill the vacancy with more information available at the January 3, 2023 meeting,” Sickles said.
Luke said he is leaving the Bayfield Board of Trustees with nothing but gratitude for the experiences he gained.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “I'm going to miss doing it. It was something I really enjoyed.”
molsen@durangoherald.com
