Parking Fees Now in Place at Cortez Municipal Airport

The City of Cortez approved a new parking fee program at the Cortez Municipal Airport. A new grant program will help cover graffiti cleanup costs. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association will offer a free digital marketing webinar series, and the Southwest Conservation Core seeks applicants for its summer youth cruise. You’re watching the local news Roundup, brought to you by Big O Tires and Hospice of Montezuma. I’m Sadie Smith. You’ll now have to pay for parking at the Cortez Municipal Airport. The new fees will fund operating expenses and future maintenance projects that grants won’t cover. Future projects may include a parking lot, expansion, fencing, and gate improvements. You can still park for free in the main parking lot for an hour or less after the first hour. Fees range from $1 per hour to $4 per day. It’s still a bargain though. Parking at the Durango La Plata Airport costs up to $9 a day for airport drop off and pick up. Drivers are encouraged to use the curbside turnaround. To learn more, visit the Cortez Municipal Airport website. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association has partnered with the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center to offer a free digital marketing webinar series. Classes are available virtually and in person for moderated viewing at the Cortez City Hall. Webinars are held biweekly on Mondays and last one hour with breakfast provided. Topics include developing your winning marketing strategy on February 24th, making your website your most valuable team member on March 10th and demystifying SEO on March 24th. Pre-registration is required. You can find the registration links on the Cortez area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Applications are now open for Southwest Conservation Corps’s 2025 Summer Youth Crews work sessions are designed for middle and high school students in Montezuma and La Plata counties to learn environmental stewardship, communication, team building and more. Projects may include invasive species removal, trail maintenance, habitat improvement, and community cleanups. Participating high school students earn $14 per hour for their work. For crew descriptions and program dates, visit the Southwest Conservation Corps website. Cortez encourages businesses to improve exterior appearances with assistance from the Cortez Business Beautification Grant and a new graffiti cleanup Grant. Deadline for the first round of grant applications is March 1st with rounds two and three due in May and June respectively. Businesses may apply for one-to-one matching grants to enhance their existing facade or primary entrance. The City Match grant may also be used for landscaping and other exterior enhancements. Businesses also may apply for a new one-to-one match of up to $500 to defray the cost of graffiti removal. City code requires property owners to remove graffiti within 10 days of the incident. Businesses are allowed to apply for reimbursement after the cleanup is complete. To qualify, businesses must apply for the grant within 30 days of filing a police report through the Cortez Police Department. Visit the City of Cortez website for more information. Learn more about these and other stories online at Montezuma Local News. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I’m Sadie Smith.