The Cortez City Council’s Tuesday meeting will start with a proclamation honoring AmeriCorps volunteers who regularly serve in town.
The regular meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, has a relatively short agenda, with no public hearings or new resolutions. Mayor Karen Sheek will be asked to sign a proclamation thanking AmeriCorps and other national volunteers for their service in Cortez and the surrounding area. A workshop at 5:30 p.m. will feature discussion on some major issues facing the town, including the transition to an interim city manager.
AmeriCorps volunteers come to Cortez every year as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s efforts to support local nonprofits and charities. The Montezuma School to Farm Project is among the local organizations that largely rely on AmeriCorps for volunteers.
“I ... encourage residents to recognize the positive impact of national service in our community, to thank those who serve, and to find ways to give back to their communities,” the mayor’s proclamation says.
In addition to voting on the proclamation, the council also will decide Tuesday night whether to award three purchase bids: one for golf course fertilizer, one for new vehicles and one for a three-year contract with Visionary Communications to provide more bandwidth to the city.
Some important discussions the council began in the past few weeks will continue in the workshop before the regular meeting. According to a memo from City Manager Shane Hale, council members will spend part of the workshop discussing “the final brush strokes” for the appointment of Chris Burkett as interim manager. The council plans to vote on his appointment on April 24.
During the workshop, the council will also discuss the possible creation of a youth commission to give local teens more volunteer and advocacy opportunities. There will be a discussion on the upcoming Rural Philanthropy Days event, and on the future of the Bridge Emergency Shelter.
This will be the first meeting following the election of Michael Lavey, Sue Betts and Gary Noyes to the council. Orly Lucero and Jill Carlson have also been elected for their second terms.
Both the workshop and regular meeting are open to the public, and the latter will feature two public comment periods.
