Three seats are being contested in Durango’s City Council’s April 1 municipal election, with five hopefuls. As they appear on the ballot, here are thumbnails:
Shirley Gonzales purchased a bike shop in Durango three years ago, leaving San Antonio with her husband, who works remotely in cybersecurity, and three young children for Durango’s easy accessibility and outdoor activities. She lives with a vision impairment, she says, and Durango affords her the ability to walk and bike and limit her driving. She said she chose a bike shop to embed herself into the heart of what goes on in Durango. She's a strong advocate for small business and serves on the boards of Local First and the La Plata Economic Development Alliance. Gonzales speaks fluent Spanish and was twice elected to the San Antonio City Council where she led on affordable housing issues.
Olivier Bosmans, an incumbent and 20-year resident, with three children in the public schools, is an engineer with a business degree who prides himself on his financial and technical expertise, asking tough questions of city administrators and voting ‘no' on occasion. Bosmans wants the council to lead more often and to have more thorough conversations about city projects, and believes that related project studies are often too expensive. Bosmans did not support, and would like to reinstate, the elimination of several community advisory boards. He said he regrets the conflict with the county and Southern Ute Indian Tribe and would work to repair those relationships if reelected.
Kip Koso grew up and attended public school in Durango, worked for 10 years for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, was a cofounder of both the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County and the Southern Ute Tribe, and chaired the board of the county economic development group (LEAD) that preceded the Alliance. Koso currently serves as Local First’s and Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Colorado’s board chair. His priorities mirror his career in community and economic health and wellness, particularly small business and youth development. He is a self-described group collaborator, relationship-builder and maintains relationships with Southern Ute leadership.
Chris Elias, part Cherokee from Tulsa, came to Durango to attend Fort Lewis College because of the tuition waiver, studied history and sustainable agriculture, and most recently earned a living building cannabis businesses in California and Oklahoma. Elias loves everything Durango and wants to contribute to making it even better. He’s an advocate for working people, especially those in the service industry, as he once was one, working in his family’s restaurant in Oklahoma, and at Sunnyside Farms Market for 10 years, including as a meat cutter. Elias wants to make Durango livable for people like himself who had to leave to earn a living before he was able to return.
Jessika Buell, like Bosmans, is an incumbent and 23-year resident who is a former Durango School District 9R teacher and entrepreneur who started two businesses, one in digital marketing and another in personal services. Buell says that after her first term she knows how city government works, and when differences surface she’s always willing to talk and work to seek common ground. She points to her outdoor ‘walk and rolls’ as an effort to improve community engagement and greater listening to community concerns. She led in getting the city to slow down on Next Steps. Buell says there is more work to do and why she is interested in reelection.
To join Gilda Yazzie and Dave Woodruff, The Durango Herald’s editorial board recommends Chris Elias, Shirley Gonzales and Kip Koso. The board believes it is time for fresh representation by people with different backgrounds and experiences, who will communicate and collaborate in new ways.
Elias loves Durango and wishes to build a community that young people can live in. He provides representation and access to the underrepresented voices of lift ops, raft guides, servers, bartenders and cooks. Elias has tasted the bigger world and brings a fresh perspective in his return to Durango. On Next Steps, Elias favors a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly downtown but wants more specifics.
Gonzales, with eight years of city council experience behind her, knows local government. Durango will benefit from her prior experience as a city councilor, in developing affordable housing, as a small-business owner, parent of small children, and as an advocate for multimodal transportation. Regarding Next Steps, Gonzales supports the current proposal calling it ‘modest,’ with the loss of just two parking spaces.
Koso has proven his dedication to the community’s well-being through his career and volunteerism. His leadership, communication and relationship-building skills will serve the city council and Durango well. Small business, too. Koso knows the Southern Ute tribe. Koso is also pedestrian- and bike-friendly, but wants assurances that businesses affected by Next Steps’ construction will receive marketing and/or financial support.
Thanks to all the candidates participating in the forums and small gatherings, which have been numerous. Durango gives democracy an especially good name.
Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m.
