The winners are ... 

In case you’ve been doing the Rip Van Winkle lately or, more likely, taking a break from the thoroughly exhausting news cycle, Durango’s got a few new/old City Council members

In last Tuesday’s election, incumbent and current mayor Jessika Buell and newcomers Shirley Gonzales and Kip Koso were elected to serve four-year terms as city councilors.

In addition, Ballot Question 2A, which asked voters to re-approve a half-cent sales tax for parks and recreation and to renovate the old 9-R Administration Building into a new police department and city hall, also passed.

• Koso, 58, grew up in Durango, moving back most recently in 2016. He retired from a consulting job for a large hospital on the East Coast in September. He has worked in the health and wellness field for more than 30 years, including nine years with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and SunUte Community Center in Ignacio. He is also a member of the Local First board and said he enjoys volunteering and fostering community.

• Gonzales, 52, moved to Durango two years ago from San Antonio, where she served as a city councilor from 2013-21. In San Antonio, she also operated a small family business. She said she is especially passionate about transportation alternatives and small-business development. She owns Pedal the Peaks in Durango with her husband and has three children.

• Buell, 44, was first elected to council in 2021. She owns two businesses, Marketing Concepts Squared and Lucky Services, and is a mother of two teen-age boys. She supports small businesses and said the city has made great strides in economic development and housing, but there is still work to be done.

According to the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder, total voter turnout was 34% with 4,875 votes cast out of 14,307 registered city voters. Election results are preliminary and will be finalized at the April 15 City Council meeting. 

Preliminary results, in order:

• Kip Koso: 3,571 

• Shirley Gonzales: 2,725

• Jessika Buell: 2,698

• Chris Elias: 1,781

• Olivier Bosmans: 1,305

For Ballot Question 2A, there were 3,230 yes/for votes and 1,557 votes of no/against.

Councilor Melissa Youssef's term limit has been reached, and her last City Council meeting was April 1.