Jennings said he will work with the Montezuma County Extension office to test the soil at Boyle and Cottonwood parks. Park staff will then apply organic fertilizer in the spring. In the fall they will aerate the soil and overseed the grass – two other techniques that help control weeds.
“Hopefully we’ll have no weeds in Boyle Park, period, at least for a little while,” Jennings said Wednesday.
The town adopted an organic parks management plan several years ago. Trustees decided to stray from that plan last July to spray chemical weedkiller at Cottonwood and Boyle parks. The weeds had gotten out of control at the parks.
A handful of citizens scolded the decision to use nonorganic methods at the parks. Several said they no longer felt comfortable taking their children to play at the parks because the chemicals might be harmful.
This year, park staff will use organic weed spray for the two parks, Jennings said. Aerating soil and overseeding the grass helps build a healthy turf environment, which is the best weed deterrent of all, Jennings told the board.
Two park techs will be hired in the spring to help with parks management, he said. Jennings will also seek volunteer help to pull weeds at the parks.
Also at the meeting, town Clerk-Treasurer Heather Alvarez reported on the town’s finances.
Revenue brought in to the town’s general fund has nearly tripled since 2000, she said. That is a sign that the town is growing at a health rate, she said.
“The town is really moving in a good direction,” Alvarez said.
General fund revenues were about $1.4 million in 2016, up from $563,000 in 2000, according to Alvarez.
The town’s top source of revenue for the general fund is its 4 percent sales tax, she said. The town collected about $567,000 in sales tax in 2016, up from $267,000 in 2000, Alvarez reported.
About 70 percent of the town’s sales tax is collected from establishments in the highway business district, along U.S. Highway 160 on the north side of town, Alvarez said.
The top categories for sales tax revenue to the town include retail necessities such as groceries and household items, utilities, and restaurants, according to Alvarez’s report.
Property tax revenue also increased steadily in Mancos from 2000 to 2014, but has regressed slightly in the last two years, Alvarez reported.
The town relies heavily on grants to fund various projects, Alvarez said. Those are budgeted in the general fund, so that fund will be larger depending on how many grant-funded projects the town has on its plate, she said.
“We are very successful with the rate of grants we get here,” Alvarez said.
New Town Hall hoursMancos Town Hall now will be closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. each day, according to a notice on the town’s website.
People can leave utility bill payments in the drop box at the front door while the office is closed. People are advised not to leave cash in the drop box.
Regular town hall hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, call town hall at 533-7725.