Passionate, heartfelt and occasionally aggressive petitions to Durango City Council came to a head on Tuesday when the council made clear what sort of meetings it wants to conduct.
City Council passed a resolution that limits public comments to city business.
Specifically, the resolution prohibits council consideration and public comment of legislative matters regarding “international political controversy, ideological or religious beliefs, or individual conviction,” except for issues that would directly impact the city’s governance.
The decision was reached to the chagrin of residents who have for weeks requested councilors support a symbolic resolution for a cease-fire and the release of hostages in the Israel-Hamas war.
Dozens of members of the Durango Palestinian Solidarity Coalition again went to the meeting with low expectations. They expected City Council to pass the resolution limiting discussion. But some said they left with a new interest in local government and a sense they did the right thing.
Coalition members have tenaciously requested City Council adopt a symbolic resolution calling for a cease-fire. They argue the city’s backing of a cease-fire would contribute to demands from groups and municipalities across the country to end the United States’ assistance to Israel in what many are calling a genocide against Palestinians.
Councilors have said they appreciate activism and the city supports free speech, but regular city meetings are not the place to discuss international political conflicts and religious or ideological issues councilors have no purview of.
Coalition members have argued City Council can and has used its influence to wade into state, federal and international issues.
City Council’s vote on Tuesday was not unanimous. Youssef and Councilors Jessika Buell and Gilda Yazzie voted for the resolution to limit discussion, but Councilor Dave Woodruff broke from his peers with a “no” vote. Councilor Olivier Bosmans was absent from the meeting.
Woodruff said residents are already divided on a number of local issues such as wakeless hours at Lake Nighthorse, how to spend lodgers tax revenues and La Posta Road (County Road 213) development plans. Considering legislation addressing the conflict in the Middle East would take divisiveness to a whole new level.
However, by limiting public comments to strictly city business, he said the city is denying residents a common outlet to air their concerns. That only serves to deepen the divide between City Council and the community.
Woodruff said councilors have already declined to sponsor the coalition’s cease-fire resolution and that should be sufficient.
“I believe that considering most if not all ordinances and resolutions (is) a part of why we are here and why we are elected into our roles as city councilors,” he said. “By voting ‘yes’ on this resolution, my feelings are that it only disconnects us from our community and takes away from the important work that we do on a daily basis.”
Youssef said the resolution is by no means an effort to stop coalition members’ advocacy efforts, adding that the city will support such efforts in appropriate forums.
She said she’s been “myopically focused” on local issues, and she considers state and national issues when funding or legislation directly impacts Durango.
“As difficult as it is for me to stand in front of you, this very rightfully passionate and determined group, I want to be honest and forthright with what I believe I was elected to do and what I’m able to do within the confines of our own governing documents,” she said.
La Plata County resident Laura Moore said there should be no controversy in opposing a conflict that involves “killing women and children, forcing women to undergo C-sections without anesthesia, and holding 2 million people with a siege, withholding medicine and fuels, sanitation and clean water.”
She also said City Council’s resolution is aimed at stifling residents’ ability to speak freely about issues they are passionate about.
Durango resident and coalition member Christina Thorburn said councilors asked residents to elect them to be local leaders, and that entails representing constituents to higher governments.
She said adopting the resolution is the opposite of representation and “cutting off the closest and most direct connection we have.”
In an interview with The Durango Herald, City Attorney Mark Morgan said the resolution keeps discussions at city meetings focused on city business, but there are other avenues residents can use to express their concerns about bigger matters.
He said Durango Public Library is hosting meeting space for an educational event being put on by the coalition about the decadeslong conflict between Israel and Palestinians, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 25 at the library, 1900 East Third Ave.
He said the city does not limit parades, marches or gatherings, and there are avenues such as Engage Durango on the city’s website to send concerns directly to councilors.
City Manager José Madrigal has reached out to Colorado’s federal representatives in Congress to possibly have a delegation visit Durango so residents can speak with national leaders directly.
Still, some residents said at the Tuesday meeting that although the resolution in question may not violate the letter of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it does violate the spirit of it.
Some residents also said if the city has enough influence to request a federal delegation, it has enough influence to back a cease-fire resolution.
cburney@durangoherald.com
A previous version of this story incorrectly quoted Mayor Melissa Youssef talking about her obligations as an elected official. She said she works within the confines of the city’s governing documents, not governing contracts.
