City Council

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From left to right: Councilor Olivier Bosmans, Councilor Gilda Yazzie, Mayor Melissa Youssef, Mayor Pro-tem Jessika Buell, and Councilor Dave Woodruff.

Meeting information

Regular City Council meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of every month.  

Regular City Council meetings and study sessions may be attended in person at City Hall, 949 East 2nd Avenue, or virtually via Zoom. Recordings of both are available. Find more information on our meetings page.

Regular City Council meetings are televised live on Youtube, via Zoom and on the city's website (click on "Live Media").

A message from the Mayor

Welcome to Durango! As officials of our wonderful city, we are excited about creating a thriving, healthy quality of life for the Durango community and we work hard to keep the flavor of Durango’s fascinating historical heritage very much alive. With more than 550 full- and part-time employees, plus seasonal help, our goal is to provide excellence in city government with outstanding results.

Contact City Council

You can send an email to CityCouncil@DurangoGov.org or you can fill out this form to send comments to City Council. Be advised, the city manager also receives the online form submissions. You can also visit a councilor’s page below to contact them directly.

Members

Melissa Youssef - Mayor 

Jessika Buell - Mayor Pro Tem


Olivier Bosmans - Councilor

Dave Woodruff - Councilor

Gilda Yazzie - Councilor

Our commitment

We strive to offer great facilities and services that meet our residents' and visitors' needs. We are dedicated to promoting a sustainable economic viability while we responsibly steward our community's resources. And finally, we have a strong commitment to protect our environment and preserve the open space of our beautiful natural lands. We hope you enjoy Durango as much as we do!

Duties & responsibilities

All City Council members serve the community at large and thus do not represent specific wards or precincts. The mayor is recognized as the head of the city government and presides at all meetings, but has no regular administrative duties and no power of veto. The position of mayor is held by a councilmember for one year and the current members of council vote amongst themselves each April to decide who will hold the mayor and mayor pro tem position. The City Council makes policy and legislative decisions for the City of Durango.

Meetings

Regular City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of every month, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Less formal study sessions are held prior to the regular meetings from 2:15 to 4:45 p.m. The meetings are held in the Smith Council Chambers at City Hall. Because there may be changes in the schedule, please check the schedule of meetings. Agendas for the meetings are posted on the preceding Fridays.

How to participate in a City Council meeting

Each regular City Council meeting offers an opportunity for public participation. The Public Participation section of the agenda is set aside for questions or comments by the public regarding items that do not otherwise appear on the agenda. Public participation is not taken during study sessions.

If you would like to address City Council during Public Participation, wait until the mayor announces the agenda item and raise your hand. When called on, please step up to the podium and state your name and address for the record. You may then address your comments or questions to City Council. Please limit your time to 3 minutes to give other members of the public a chance to speak. When you are finished, you may return to your seat. Council will listen to all of the public participation before responding. If you have audio/video for your presentation, you must deliver the files to the City Clerk no later than 12 Noon, the day of the meeting. Files will not be accepted at the meeting.

Regular City Council meetings are televised live on Youtube, via Zoom and on the city's website (click on "Live Media").