Durango council appoints Beth Padilla as municipal court judge after debate over severance and PTO

Durango — The Durango City Council voted to appoint Beth Padilla as the city’s municipal court judge on June 29, approving the employment contract despite one councilor’s objection to severance and paid-time-off terms.

Councilor Koso objected to parts of the contract during debate, saying, “I wish to respectfully push back on the idea that a substantial severance payment should begin on day one,” and highlighted costs the city would incur if the severance clause were invoked immediately. Koso pointed to the proposal’s three months’ salary (stated in discussion as roughly $27,000–$27,500), three months of health-care valued at about $3,200, and three months of retirement contributions around $3,000, which the speaker said together exceed $33,000. Koso also criticized the PTO accrual as unusually high for an initial contract and proposed three modifications: a pro‑rata severance matched to length of employment (up to three months), a fixed budget for continuing education, and a smaller first‑year PTO incentive (one extra week rather than three).

Supporters of the contract said a robust severance and benefits package helps recruit qualified candidates and protects judicial independence. Mayor Woodruff argued that a strong severance can reduce pressure on a new judge and noted the time and expense of vetting and hiring municipal judges, saying a larger package signals a long‑term commitment.

The council allowed a brief public comment during discussion. Mr. Griezmann praised Padilla’s past work and expressed support for continued collaboration with the municipal court and problem‑solving court partners.

Staff clarified there were multiple contract drafts and that the motion on the floor was to appoint Padilla under the most recent contract that included some of the candidate’s accepted edits. A staff member (Fay) stated the municipal court’s professional development funds are included in the clerk’s budget and are available for the judge’s continuing training.

By roll call, the appointment carried with a majority; Councilor Koso voted no and the motion otherwise carried. The council announced Padilla will be sworn in at 10 a.m. June 30 in council chambers.

The vote resolved the appointment itself; remaining questions identified during debate included whether severance should be pro‑rated for very short tenures and whether PTO language should be clarified to reflect an all‑purpose PTO bank rather than a separate “vacation” allotment. The council did not adopt Koso’s proposed contract modifications on the record at the June 29 meeting.