- The Montezuma County commission would like high-speed internet to be a reality throughout the county.
- The Montezuma County Hospital District has received a $2 million grant from the state Department of Local Affairs.
High-speed Internet throughout Montezuma County. The county commissioners would like to make that vision a reality, and on December 21st, they talked about how. County IT director Jim McClain said it would require a two-part effort: first, wireless transmission towers to serve 70 percent of the county, then fiber to reach areas where wireless isn’t feasible, such as McElmo Canyon and the Dolores River Valley. McClain estimated the cost of infrastructure at $3 million to $5 million but said grants could help, particularly if the system benefits schools. The commissioners suggested a coalition involving the City of Cortez and other partners such as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
The Montezuma County Hospital District has received a belated Christmas present in the form of a $2 million grant from the state Department of Local Affairs. The grant will help fund the capital-improvement project planned for Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez. The project includes a new state-of-the-art inpatient wing, physicians’ offices, and improved emergency-services facilities. In November, voters approved a sales and use tax of 4 cents on $10 to help pay for the expansion. In a release, Southwest Health System, the hospital’s operating company, says Nunn Construction has been chosen as construction manager for the project.
