Council seats 2 new, 1 veteran
The Durango City council will see a slight changing of the guard April 16 as two new councilors, Dean Brookie and Keith Brant, as well as incumbent Christina Rinderle, are sworn into office.
The Durango City council will see a slight changing of the guard April 16 as two new councilors, Dean Brookie and Keith Brant, as well as incumbent Christina Rinderle, are sworn into office.
Brookie, an architect, was the big winner in Tuesday’s race, garnering 2,564 votes.
“I’m really grateful,” said Brookie on Wednesday morning. “I was cautiously optimistic about winning one of three seats, but was pleasantly surprised and truly humbled by the results.”
With extensive experience in community planning, Brookie said he is looking forward to tackling the City’s Land Use Development Code, which is in the final stages of revisions. “It’s certainly my forte,” he said.
He was also looking forward to coming up to speed on some aspects that were not his area of expertise. “I have iPad lessons this afternoon,” he said.
Coming in a close second was Rinderle, with 2,392 votes. She said she welcomed the chance to continue the work she started over the last four years and appreciated the vote of confidence residents have given her. “As a city councilor, I’m not working for the City, I’m working for the community,” she said. “It’s good to have that validation from voters that you’re doing a good job.”
As the self-described “moderate” on the Council, she counts the preservation of 1,000 acres in Horse Gulch; an increase in affordable housing programs; and the City’s new singlestream recycling as among the highlights of her first four years. And, of course, there was the chance to not only meet, but introduce, Michelle Obama last fall. “She gave me the sweetest hug,” Rinderle recalled. “She was so tall, beautiful and gracious.”
Brant, a vacation-rental business owner, took the final open seat, with 1,593 votes. A former controller at La Plata Electric Association, Brant hopes to serve as a voice of reason and responsibility on the Council. “I want to refocus our energies on improvement of roads, sewage, etc.,” he said. “I want to get back to basics and stop talking about smoking on the River Trail. We don’t need to create more laws about problems that don’t exist.”
While Brant is a bike commuter and considers himself environmentally friendly, he also says personal responsibility can go a long way. “I think it’s over-reaching of the government to tell us how we can bring our groceries home from the store,” he said.
As the main conservative voice on the Council, Brant said he will try to work for consensus rather than be the lone dissenting vote. “Having a vote of 4-1 is not productive,” he said. “We all need to get together and come to consensus.”
All three newly elected councilors also welcomed the diversity of the new Council and said they look forward to working together.
“I know Doug, Christina and Paul (Broderick) really well,” said Brant. “I picked their brains a lot before deciding to run.”
Brookie, who said he hoped to bring some humor to the Council, said the new make-up is a good balance. “They are all smart and dedicated people,” he said. “Everyone has the best interests of the city at heart. Christina has knowledge of the issues; and Keith adds a cautious approach. It’s a good balance.”
But mostly, Brookie looks forward to starting his new job come April 16. “It’s so fun, I can’t tell you,” he said. “I woke up pinching myself this morning. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m excited.”
Moratorium a no-go for county board
The La Plata County Board of Commissioners have decided against issuing a moratorium on shale oil drilling – at least, for now.
Commissioners Julie Westendorff and Bobby Lieb did not think a moratorium was needed, while Commissioner Grew Lachelt did.
The county recently approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Swift Energy for two exploratory wells in La Plata County, just north of the New Mexico border. The agreement now heads to the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission for approval.
The company is looking to see if the area’s Mancos shale formation holds anything worth drilling for.
Westendorff said during the Tuesday meeting that she was not against issuing a moratorium in the future, but that she didn’t feel one was warranted at this time. With Swift Energy still without a permit to drill, she said issuing a moratorium would be “putting the cart before the horse.”
The board also disagreed on whether or not the county’s land-use code does enough to regulate shale oil drilling. The county has experience with coalbed methane, but shale oil is something new.
Lachelt also expressed concerns that if Swift finds something in the Mancos shale, a potential “boom” could take place, and the county could be unprepared to react.
The meeting was also a time for public comment. A variety of perspectives were expressed including concerns over how horizontal drilling would affect property values and optimism over the possible influx of jobs to the local economy.
One of the main issues discussed was water use in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.
With drought conditions across the state and several cities in Colorado already enacting water restrictions, some residents at the meeting voiced concerns over using what little water the county has for fracking and making sure that what is available would not be subject to contamination.
Police investigate alleged trail assault
Durango police are investigating an alleged assault that occurred on the popular Nature Trail, which connects Fort Lewis College to 10th Street, in downtown Durango, last week.
The alleged assault was first reported to FLC police last Tues., March 26. According to FLC police, a female student reported being assaulted around 5 p.m. March 26 on the trail. The suspect was described as a 25-year-old white male wearing a dark hoody pulled over his head. He allegedly attacked the victim before running back up the trail.
The case was later turned over to the Durango Police Department, which has interviewed the victim and is continuing to investigate the incident. According to Durango Police Sgt. Rita Warfield, it appears that the victim was targeted for the attack and that it was not a random act. The assault was not sexual in nature, either.
“We believe it was an intentional act on this person,” she said. “there are signs that she was picked out specifically. It wasn’t a case of someone hiding in the bushes and just jumping out.”
Nevertheless, Durango Police are warning people who use the trail to always be on alert. “Everyone should use caution when using that trail, or any trail,” she said. “Women – and men – should be alert and aware of their surroundings.”
Warfield could not give many details on the case as the investigation is ongoing. However, she asked anyone who was on the trail that day and may have seen or heard anything to call Investigator Brad Roach, 375-4738.
– Missy Votel and Tracy Chamberlin