Durango, CO: **Councilors voted to accept recommendations from the Durango Immigrant Task Force, which the council will consider when discussing future initiatives related to immigration and multicultural issues.
The action, approved on the consent agenda at the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, focuses generally on:
Expanding multilingual communication across city departments;
Creating culturally responsive outreach efforts; and,
Launching bilingual civic education workshops to help residents better understand local government, public safety, and emergency preparedness.
The task force also recommends establishing bilingual community connector positions, enhancing cultural responsiveness training for city staff and police officers, modernizing the city’s 2004 Immigrant‑Friendly Resolution, and developing a public guide to peaceful protest rights and local safety expectations. Recommendations also include a focus on improving collaboration between the Durango Police Department and immigrant communities, strengthening resource navigation, and reducing misinformation.
At their regular meeting, councilors also:
Heard an update on electric bicycle use on city-owned trails and paths. The update included which shared-use paths and open space trails allow electric bicycles. Paved, shared-use trails like the Animas River Trail allow class 1 and 2 e-bikes. Certain open space trails like Twin Buttes allow for class 1 electric mountain bikes. For more information on where e-bikes are allowed, please visit Electric Bikes | Durango, CO - Official Website.
Heard a monthly update from Police Chief Brice Current on Flock camera usage in Durango for June. In June, there were 929 Flock camera searches by Durango Police Department users. Motor vehicle theft accounted for roughly 32% of Flock searches in June. Twelve stolen vehicles were reported in June, and all were recovered. For more information on Flock cameras and transparency, please visit Flock Cameras & Transparency | Durango, CO - Official Website.
Received a water supply update from Public Works Director John Harris. The College Mesa Water Treatment plant is currently meeting water demands using the Florida River, but the Florida River water supply is declining. It is expected that the city will need to use its supplemental water supply from the Animas River one to two months earlier than usual.
Voted to approve six recommended Durango Creates! grants which would allocate $15,025 across the projects. The Durango Creates! grant program, implemented by the Durango Creative District, encourages creative projects that the public can enjoy through creative placemaking.
Voted to approve an ordinance that authorizes the city to execute a sublease with Fort Lewis College for space in the Main Mall, located at 835 Main Ave., to establish a collaborative community hub. As part of the New City Hall project, the Community Development and Engineering Building is anticipated to be demolished, requiring the temporary relocation of Prosperity Office staff and operations.
Approved a consent agenda item that would temporarily relocate Community Development and Engineering operations to space leased within the Axis Health System building at 150 Mercury Village Drive for the next phase of the New City Hall Project.
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Media Contact**Tom SluisPublic Information Officer Phone: (970) 375-5090Email: Tom Sluis