PLEASE ONLY SIGN IF YOU ARE A DURANGO/LA PLATA COUNTY RESIDENT, BUSINESS OR PROPERTY OWNER, OR A REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ORGANIZATION BASED IN LA PLATA COUNTY. THANK YOU!

Durango Fire Protection District (DFPD) is buying the 9-R Administration Building for a newly proposed "Emergency Services Center." Durango City Council says it cannot get involved as it was not a party to the contract and has seen no plan.  

DFPD did not talk to the City until it asked them to co-locate its Police Department with DFPD.  

The contract has a time-sensitive contingency allowing DFPD to exit the contract if it is not in the best interests of the community. No plan exists as to how this project would work.  

By design, the plan is being withheld until after the purchase and, by circumstance, the Durango and La Plata County community has not been and may not be asked about its “best interests.” The voice of our community is being stifled.  

Before tax-supported entities spend millions of taxpayer dollars on this proposed project, which could irreversibly affect a major part of our downtown commerce, traffic, living patterns, and quality of life, the consequences of such a move should be detailed and disclosed at a public forum held by the three parties involved: the City of Durango, Durango School District 9-R and the Durango Fire Protection District.

A plan must be presented and a public forum must be held among all three public entities to discuss - with adequate time for question and answer - a common sense approach to siting a newly proposed Emergency Services Center, preserving Buckley Park and the vitality of our downtown.

We, the undersigned, are the core group of concerned citizens initiating this petition and calling for a public forum. If you'd like to help our efforts, please email savebuckleypark@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Ted Wright, Lars Hansen, Greg Hoch, Holly Jobson, Sheryl Lock, Ellen Stein, Michael Wanger, Kent Ford, Joe Hanrahan, Tim Wheeler, Salye Stein, Fred Grimes, Bobbie Carll, Holly Duckworth, Robin Wiles, Ken Francis, Julie Meadows, Steven Gawlik, Audrey Royem, Mary Oswald, Peter Schertz, Jim Sims, Michael Hoffmann, George Schmidt and Charles Shaw.

RESOURCES:

https://www.durangotelegraph.com/news/top-stories/putting-out-fires/​

https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/our-view-save-buckley-park/​

https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/fire-district-3/​

https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/our-view-9-r-sale/​

https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/our-view-9-r-building/​

https://publicaccess.durangogov.org/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=6029&doctype=2 - Minutes of 09.20.21 City Council Meeting with Public Comment from members of our core group and Mayor Baxter's response that the issue is the DFPD's (not the City's).

https://publicaccess.durangogov.org/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/City_Council_Regular_Meeting_6030_Agenda_Packet_10_5_2021_5_30_00_PM.pdf?meetingId=6030&documentType=AgendaPacket&itemId=0&publishId=0&isSection=false - These City Council meeting minutes include an important 8-page letter drafted by former 35-year City Planning Director, Greg Hoch, starting on page 34. It outlines so many issues with the siting of the DFPD at the 9-R Building that have not been considered.