Montrose, CO — The City of Montrose has a new mayor as councilor Barbara Bynum was elevated from mayor pro tem during the City Council's regular meeting Tuesday. Bynum was chosen by fellow city councilors to succeed Dave Frank for the 2023-2024 mayoral term. Councilor David Reed was selected by the council to become the new mayor pro tem.
The annual mayor selection took place Tuesday evening in the City Council Chambers located at 107 South Cascade Avenue. Tuesday’s meeting was the first regular City Council meeting in the chambers since the building went through extensive, months-long renovations.
According to the Montrose City Charter, the City Council appoints a mayor and mayor pro tem each April. The term of the mayor is 12 months.
Bynum thanked Frank for his work as mayor over the past 12 months, mentioning his leadership on many civic issues. Notably, Frank served as mayor as the city opened the new Public Safety Complex on South First Street and was part of the negotiations to move City Hall from South First Street to Main Street. Frank was also mayor when the City of Montrose was officially named the largest Gig City on the Western Slope having connectivity to high-speed broadband internet throughout the community.
"Mayor Frank’s commitment to our community is inspiring and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his tireless efforts to make Montrose a better place to live, work, retire, or raise a family," Bynum said.
Bynum then presented Frank with the gavel he used while serving as mayor.
Although city councilors are elected by the public to fill four district seats and an at-large seat, the mayor and mayor pro tem are selected by the council as defined by the City Charter as a home rule municipality under the Colorado Constitution.
Bynum was elected to the council to fill a vacancy in the at-large seat on August 1, 2017. Bynum was then elected to the two-year at-large seat in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
Earlier in April, Mayor Frank received the Dedicated Servant Award, presented by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, for his work on the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council.
“Your contributions to this effort are already making an impact across the state, with $40 million already being distributed to communities to provide essential services and develop critical infrastructure,” the award read.