The Aztec City Commission abruptly dismissed City Manager Jeff Blackburn on the evening of October 28, 2025, after a public forum at City Hall escalated into a contentious exchange between Blackburn, residents and commissioners. Following a late-night emergency closed session, the commission reconvened and voted 5-0 to end Blackburn’s contract effective immediately, citing performance and communication shortcomings. No severance details were disclosed by the commission.

Coverage from the Durango Herald and the Tri-City Record confirmed the sequence of events and the commission’s unanimous vote. Assistant City Manager Steven Saucedo was named interim manager on October 29, and the commission announced it will conduct a national search for a permanent city manager. The commission’s reporting was led by Mayor Pro Tem Robyn Lemley, according to municipal records confirming the special meeting agenda.

The dismissal marks a sudden rupture in leadership for Aztec, a working-class municipality that relies on steady city management to deliver routine but essential services such as water maintenance, road repairs and public safety coordination. City operations are already navigating regional economic pressures, and municipal staff and residents may see delays in ongoing infrastructure projects, including current sewer upgrades and a downtown revitalization initiative, while interim leadership adjusts and the search for a successor proceeds.

No prior public disputes involving Blackburn had been reported, making the confrontation and immediate termination unprecedented in recent local memory. The closed-session nature of the commission’s deliberations and the absence of released exit statements or personnel records have heightened community concern and speculation about the specific triggers for the confrontational forum and the termination. Commission minutes and any personnel complaints or formal records related to Blackburn’s dismissal were unreleased as of October 29.

City officials have framed the move as an administrative decision intended to address performance and communication problems, but the lack of detail fuels questions about process and accountability. For residents dependent on timely municipal decision-making—especially those impacted by sewer construction, downtown business changes and shared services connected to the Aztec Municipal School District—the speed and clarity of the transition will be consequential.

Interim manager Steven Saucedo will oversee day-to-day operations while the commission runs a national recruitment process. The commission’s stated next steps include hiring outside assistance for the search and establishing a timeline for interviews and community input, though those specifics have not yet been released. The city’s official website lists the special meeting agenda that confirmed the commission’s action but does not yet include minutes or an exit statement from Blackburn.

Local observers and officials say follow-up items remain: release of any audio or video from the October 28 forum, disclosure of personnel records or complaints if permissible, clarification on severance terms, and a transparent timeline for hiring the next city manager. As Aztec moves forward, those questions will shape residents’ trust in city governance and the ability of municipal leaders to maintain continuity on critical public projects.