On Tuesday, the Cortez City Council plans to bring closure to several issues.
The council will hold public hearings on two ordinances that would give final approval to the sale of the old City Hall building on Main Street and the acquisition of an old Cortez Fire District property on Broadway. The council also will consider approving a letter of support for the Canyon of the Ancients national monument, among other resolutions.
If approved, the two real estate ordinances would authorize the Piñon Project to purchase the 219 E. Main St. building for its new headquarters, and the Fire District to donate a piece of land on 928 S. Broadway to the city in lieu of payment for fees on the construction of a new fire station.
In May’s meetings and workshops, the council discussed a possible letter to President Donald Trump about Canyon of the Ancients, which is under review by the U.S. Department of the Interior due to Executive Order 13792. The Department of the Interior is accepting public comment from communities near the affected monuments through mid-July. During Tuesday’s meeting, the council will vote on a letter drafted by Mayor Karen Sheek, which asks that no changes be made to the monument’s designation.
Also on the agenda is a resolution that would authorize the city to join the Region 9 Rural Jump-Start program, which was presented in a workshop on May 9. Rural Jump-Start offers tax benefits to new businesses that move into a Colorado city and don’t compete with any existing businesses.
The council will also consider approving a professional services contract with Noel Cooley, former manager of the Cortez Colorado Welcome Center. The contract would allow Cooley, who resigned at the end of May, to continue her duties as city volunteer coordinator through Aug. 5. A team of volunteers from the national nonprofit YouthWorks will be in town from June through August, and City Manager Shane Hale has requested that Cooley supervise their activities.
Before the public meeting on Tuesday, the council will hold a workshop in the Mesa Verde Room at 6:30 p.m. to discuss possible updates to the city’s water lines, as well as the possibility of extending City Hall’s hours of operation.
The city council meets at 123 Roger Smith Ave.
