Cortez City Council members voted at their meeting Tuesday to approve a resolution endorsing the effort to demolish the retired Montezuma-Cortez High School.
The Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school district will ask voters for permission to spend up to $1.8 million toward demolition of the old high school on W. Seventh Street. The money has been held in reserve to build a new sports stadium, but the school board agreed that the funds are needed more to tear down the old high school, which contains friable asbestos that must be mitigated.
Mayor Karen Sheek, who has been active on the task force that determined the future of the building earlier this year, said passing the measure will allow the school district to fulfill the promise they made to tear down the old school.
Sheek said Re-1 school board members have done their due diligence, and their hands are now tied as they wait on the outcome of next month’s vote.
“They have done all they possibly can,” Sheek said.
Councilors voted unanimously to approve the resolution, which encourages citizens to vote “yes” on ballot question 3A, allowing the school district to use the money.
Also Tuesday, Boutique Air marketing representative Michelle McNulty visited the council. The company took over for Great Lakes Airlines on Oct. 1. Boutique now is offering direct flights from the Cortez Municipal Airport to Denver and Phoenix. The company held a grand opening ceremony at the airport on Wednesday.
McNulty said the company is committed to being a part of the community in Cortez.
“We’re very excited to be here,” she said.
Council members also awarded a $21,000 bid to Golden Environmental of Greeley for asbestos abatement at 414 Beech St. The house has been vacant for some time and needs to be dealt with, planning and building director Sam Proffer said.
The council also awarded a $20,400 bid to Armstrong Steel Corp. of Greenwood Village for a metal shed to house and protect road salt for the winter. The building will be at the city public works lot near the industrial park.
The council also authorized the use of a third party to provide planning review services for the Southwest Memorial Hospital expansion project. Proffer said the building and planning department, who would normally do that work, does not have enough time to do so. C-West Code Consultants of Lakewood will provide the services, and the city will pay $7,100 for the services. The contract with C-West will only be for plan review services, and the city will continue to provide services in other areas of the project, Proffer said.
