The Mancos Town Board announced Wednesday that they will not allow the Mancos FoodShare to use the town’s community center as a hub for the organization’s food and commodities distribution operation.
In May, FoodShare asked the board to consider allowing it to lease the community center in a yearlong lease at $450 per month. FoodShare director Gretchen Groenke said in May that the group had not been able to find a reliable and consistent space to operate in the past few years.
The Community Center at 128 W. Grand Ave., was created in part with a $150,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs, and trustees worried about violating the grant agreement if they agreed to lease the center to a single entity.
The property for the community center was transferred from the now-defunct Mancos Colorado Days Association in 1999. The language of that agreement states that the town must provide an alternate location if the community center isn’t available. Trustee Ed Hallam said doing so would be difficult.
“We don’t have anything else to provide if the center isn’t open,” he said.
According to its mission statement, the community center says that it will provide an environment for all members of the community to participate in activities. Mayor Queenie Barz said she regretted that the FoodShare’s proposal would not work out.
“I really like the idea and the program, but the town cannot provide that,” she said.
The board also approved the town’s participation in the Montezuma County election on Nov. 8. The election includes a ballot question regarding a 1 percent sales tax. If approved, the tax will fund a $39 million project to bring high-speed broadband internet to every household and business in the county.
Trustee Lorraine Becker said the broadband project is important for the area.
“It’s an opportunity for the town and the county to get state-of-the-art internet, and I support it,” she said.
The board also approved contributing $1,000 toward a survey that will be administered to county residents to gauge interest in the project.
Also Wednesday, Barz proclaimed July 23 as National Day of the Cowboy in the town of Mancos. Trustees also passed a resolution recognizing Mancos Days and encouraging the citizens of the town to participate. The festival takes place July 29-31 and the theme is “Desperadoes and Fancy Ladies.”
The board also passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Pro Tem Fred Brooks to become a signer on the town’s financial accounts.
