Honest and transparent communication is essential for public servants. It takes hubris and hypocrisy, then, for city council members to quietly orchestrate behind closed doors the sidelining of a colleague without honest explanation.
When former Mayor Yazzie and councilors Woodruff and Loyer abandoned the well-accepted path of succession – stepping over Councilor Kip Koso, the voters’ overwhelming first choice in the recent election – citing alleged leadership deficiencies, what they demonstrated was their own failure on that front.
Koso’s community-oriented credentials run deep. His thoughtful, well-articulated comments in council meetings show he is informed, engaged and committed to his constituents.
We’ve been told the mayor’s role is primarily ceremonial. But the mayor runs council meetings and influences its tone, scope and public input. The fact that three councilors took the unusual step of sidelining Koso to retain that control raises an obvious question: What additional influence do they wield through existing relationships with city management? It comes across as a self-serving power grab.
While council does cooperate on many fronts, and in fact has several unanimous votes, these three councilors also appear to reflexively dismiss ideas advanced by newly elected councilors Koso and Shirley Gonzalez – behavior that undermines the city’s own guiding values of teamwork, professionalism and respect.
Koso and Gonzalez deserve equal seats at the table, as do the voters who elected them. I urge Mayor Woodruff or Mayor Pro Tem Loyer to call for a new vote – one that restores not only those values but the public’s trust in this council.
Geoff Hickcox
Durango