The Journal publishes local restaurant inspection reports provided monthly by the Montezuma County Health Department.
Inspections of all retail food facilities are done yearly, and in some cases, more than once per year.
Unannounced inspections are conducted for restaurants, school, hospital and nursing home cafeterias, grocery stores, convenience stores, fairgrounds, resorts, food trucks and any event or facility where food is sold to the public.
Melissa Mathews conducts about 145 retail food facility inspections every year for Montezuma and Dolores counties as the Health Department’s environmental health specialist.
The inspections are completed on-site and include compliance standards set by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. The categories are divided into critical and noncritical health standards specific to retail food facilities.
Critical areas are those that if not in compliance may cause foodborne illnesses. The categories include food sources, personnel, food temperature-control, sanitation, water systems and plumbing, hand-washing facilities, pest control and poisonous or toxic items.
Noncritical areas are important but have less risk of causing foodborne illness. The categories include food labeling and protection, equipment design and construction, testing devices, and cleaning of equipment, utensils and linens.
Under Colorado law, any retail food customer can ask an establishment for its latest inspection report, and the facility is required to provide it, Mathews said.
Cortez Meat Market119 E. Main St., Cortez
date: Oct. 31, 1 hour
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Jimmer’s Backcountry BBQ439 E. Main St. Cortez
date: Oct. 31, 1.6 hours
critical violations: 1
1. Food source category, consumer advisory
inspector comments: Facility is serving raw and/or undercooked animal foods without a consumer advisory and/or the consumer advisory does not meet requirements.
noncritical violations: 0
Cortez Middle School450 W. Second St., Cortez
date: Oct. 30, .95 hours
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Blondie’s Trophy Room45 E. Main St., Cortez
date: Oct. 29, 1.6 hours
Critical Violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Montezuma-Cortez High School418 S. Sligo St., Cortez
date: Oct. 26, .7 hours
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Giant No. 229501 Railroad Ave., Dolores
date: Oct. 8, .5 hours
Critical violations: 1
1. Plumbing category, hot and cold water under pressure
inspector comments: Hand sinks are not properly plumbed with cold and hot water to provide a minimum temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a mixing valve or combination faucet. Hot water is not supplying hot water to the restrooms, three-compartment sink or mop. On a follow-up inspection Oct. 26, a hot water heater was installed.
noncritical violations: 0
Montezuma Mexican Restaurant18396 Colorado 145, Dolores
date: Oct. 8, 1.7 hours
critical violations: 3
1. Sanitation category, mechanical
inspector comments: Chemical sanitizing ware washing machine does not provide sufficient chemical concentration in final rinse. Chemical concentration of the sanitizer was greater than 200 ppm. Able to adjust the sanitizer level to the required concentration. Test strips are available to monitor.
Problem was corrected on-site.
2. Sanitation category, backflow
inspector comments: Facility lacks an appropriate back-flow device where needed. Three-compartment sink has a garden hose being used as a sprayer attachment. The hose does not have a back-flow device to protect the water supply. Disconnect until the appropriate hose bib protector is installed.
Problem was corrected on-site.
3. Poisonous or toxic items category
Inspector comments: Toxic products are improperly stored in the facility. Ibuprofen is being stored on top of ice machine and on the shelves in the kitchen. Problem was corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 2
1. Food labeling/protection category
inspector comments: Foods in the facility are improperly or not labeled. Containers of dry ingredients are not labeled (flour, sugar, etc.)
2. Cleaning of equipment/utensils category, nonfood contact surfaces
inspector comments: Nonfood-contact surfaces are not clean. Shelves storing food in the walk-in, shelves storing clean dishes, caulking around hand sink and food prep sing has mildew buildup.
Manaugh Elementary School300 S. Fourth St., Cortez
date: Oct. 16, 1 hour
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Dollar Tree No. 03139215 N. Sligo St., Cortez
date: Oct. 16, .65 hours
Critical violations: 0
Noncritical violations: 0
Dove Creek Superette Deli445 U.S. 491, Dove Creek
Date: Oct. 4, 2.2 hours
Critical violations: 2
1. Temperature control category, required cooking temperature
inspector comments: Poultry is not being adequately cooked to the required internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Observed fried chicken fresh out of the fryer at 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Continued the cooking process until 165 degrees Fahrenheit is met. Problem was corrected on-site.
2. Sanitation category, manual sanitation
inspector comments: Facility has no cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces as required. Observed raw hamburger patties placed on the cutting board and not being cleaned/sanitized after use. Problem was corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Southern BBQ and Catering223 Jensen St., Dove Creek
date: Oct. 5, 1 hour
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center23390 County Road K, Cortez
date: Oct. 3, 1. 3 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Community Center, County Annex107 Chestnut St., Cortez
Date: Oct. 3, .8 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Kemper Elementary School620 E. Montezuma Ave., Cortez
date: Oct. 1, .6 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
