Growth and change was a major theme in Montezuma County in 2015 – a theme that sometimes came with a big “but.”
Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 opened its new high school, a beautiful, high-tech building, and spent the fall semester fine-tuning equipment, schedules and processes. Unfortunately, the district learned that tearing down the old high school building was going to be more expensive than planned. The district does not have the funds, nor do most district residents have the stomach for diverting money from education for demolition. Fixing it up for use would also cost money, so right now it is a magnet for people who want to be either out of the wind or out of sight of law enforcement.
The deal to sell the Calkins Building stalled. It would not have brought much money, but Re-1 would have unloaded one unusable building. Meanwhile, the district is concentrating on test scores, which suggest student achievement is not satisfactory.
In November, voters handily approved a limited sales and use tax to upgrade Southwest Memorial Hospital. Although some complained that the building had been renovated recently, most believed that up-to-date facilities were important in attracting healthcare professionals and a high-quality hospital was essential in attracting new businesses to the area. Southwest Health System plans to aggregate its clinics on the hospital campus.
The city of Cortez purchased the former Cortez Journal building and has recently released drawings of its proposed remodel. The purchase helps centralize city services near the park complex, the architecture of the building fits well with the rec center and the library, and the project will be less expensive than land acquisition and new construction. Although some residents regret the city’s move from Main Street, its current facility has been cobbled together over the years and is inadequate.
Montezuma County and the 22nd Judicial District (which includes Dolores County) are moving, slowly, toward construction of a new combined justice center.
Not everyone was a fan of spending, however; one letter writer complained to the editor that local Republicans and governmental entities spend more money than “east coast liberals.”
Cortez was ranked one of the worst places to live by an “infotainment” site that didn’t have much credibility with locals, who are just fine with the idea that most people do not want to live here. Durango, meanwhile, was listed as a very good place to live and visit – for those who can afford it.
But Durango did not fare altogether well in the media this year, as photos of the Animas River flowing sickly orange showed up on front pages everywhere. After the Gold King mine spill above Silverton, local tourism professionals were often asked, “Where, exactly, is Cortez? Is it downstream from Durango?” Fortunately it is in another watershed, but the disaster brought attention to mine waste everywhere, including up the Dolores River, the source of our drinking water.
At the same time, water managers and municipalities throughout the West are discussing what climate change might mean for water supplies.
Gas prices are likely to end the year below $2 a gallon, and that has aided the tourism economy but has hit the energy industry hard, as the demand for CO2 also depends on the price of oil. Meanwhile, the Four Corners area is a methane hotspot, which is not exactly a selling point for prospective residents.
The Forest Service decided to remove restrooms at Sage Hen and Dry Canyon. Although budgetary concerns played a role, vandalism was probably a greater factor. The Sage Hen restroom door had to be welded shut to prevent further destruction – lending some credibility to the “worst place to live” moniker, as did the person who shot out windows along Main Street. The Ferris Campground on the lower Dolores also is slated to be closed, possibly because few people bother to pay when they camp there, although some locals are lobbying to keep it.
The Cortez Cultural Center has had its ups and downs. There is great support for keeping the downtown attraction open; figuring out how to pay for that is a little more challenging.
Montezuma County’s commissioners tried to lower property taxes for ag producers but did not get the job done. It was a politically advantageous thought but a waste of time; commissioners simply do not have that power. The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled against the county on Kinder Morgan’s challenge. That case hinged on whether Kinder Morgan was accurately reporting production.
Overall, 2015’s trajectory was upward, and expensive, with a few dips. That level of investment probably cannot continue, but the movement this year has been positive, and that is something to celebrate.
