GOCO is requesting proposals for projects around the state that seek to revitalize school playgrounds and outdoor learning environments with an emphasis on opportunities for nature-based play and learning.
In addition to receiving GOCO funding for infrastructure improvements, selected schools will become partner schools in CPW’s Schools and Outdoor Learning Environments Program.
The program, known by the acronym as SOLE, provides outdoor experiences and teacher training to help students and families connect with nature on-site and through fourth-grade field trips to nearby natural spaces.
The Cortez City Council voted at its Oct. 13 meeting to unanimously to sign off a letter of support for the GOCO School Play Yard grant, provided that the city is not responsible for any match funds and that the Kiva secures its own funding for the construction phase of the project.
Parks superintendent Mark Boblitt explained that the parks and recreation advisory committee and Kiva officials outlined pros and cons enhancing the relatively small and under-utilized Montezuma Park, versus putting an enhanced playspace at one of the bigger three city parks.
The need for additional playground equipment at city parks has also been identified in the city’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
Among the pros: having another place aside from the big three parks for neighborhood children to play; having a play place where visitors along Main could stop by and use it; and Kiva students as well as neighborhood kids would have an additional in-neighborhood playground.
Among the cons: the south side of Main street needs playgrounds as well; Children’s Kiva is only at the Beech Street location temporarily as the charter has plans to build a permanent campus behind its preschool on E. Empire; and the park could further strain the limited parks maintenance budget.
The city staff recommended the council support the grant initiative, provided no matching funds from the city are required and that the Kiva secure its own funding for construction.
Heart & Soul project wins award
The city of Cortez was recently honored with a Community Engagement award from the Colorado chapter of the American Planning Association. The association recognized the Heart & Soul project for using information and education about the value of planning in an innovative way.
Launched in 2012 from a grant from the Orton Family Foundation, the Heart & Soul project seeks to bring more voices and community stakeholders in the long-range city planning process. Some of the most notable accomplishments of Heart & Soul over the years has been a community story book, the addition of youth memberships on advisory committees, work on the city’s beautification plan, a land use code analysis, and the city’s first comprehensive land use code update since the 1970’s.
City council approves software upgrade
City council voted to purchase new Microsoft-based software from Utah-based company Caselle for $122,913, as the finance department has been using the same accounting and billing software for 19 years. Finance director Kathi Moss said the current system is outdated and cumbersome, and the new software is likely to streamline finance department operations.
She also noted that when soliciting bids for the new software, staff demos were conducted and Caselle software was the number one choice among those who participated.
Other bidders were Springbrook, at $152,512 and Tyler at $287,198.
Moss explained that maintenance fees on the current AS400 mainframe software costs the city $32,555 annually, so although the upfront cost of the software is high the city could net a savings down the line.
She recommended that the city allocate the cost of the new software between 2015 and 2016, with $35,428 coming from the water fund and $87,485 coming from the technology fund.