A new Cortez City Council took shape Tuesday as three council members and the mayor stepped aside, four new members took office and Dennis Spruell was unanimously chosen as mayor.
“I’ve lived in Cortez all my life,” Spruell said in an interview with The Journal. “I want it to remain respectful, inviting. I want our city to thrive.”
Departing City Council members Matt Keefauver, Lydia DeHaven and Robert Dobry, along with resigning Mayor Rachel Medina, approved their final meeting minutes and agenda before newly elected members were seated.
The new council appointed Spruell mayor by unanimous vote after a secret paper ballot.
“Dennis has served this community in many capacities over the years,” said City Council member April Randle, noting Spruell’s service in the Cortez Police Department, as Montezuma County sheriff and most recently as mayor pro tem.
The mayor does not hold additional authority over city initiatives but presides over council meetings, certifies ordinances after passage, and serves as an official representative of the city.
“I have no more say than any other council member,” Spruell said.
He added that his position on matters pertaining to the city will be that of the remainder of council.
Council member Bill Lewis, nominated by Spruell, was voted mayor pro tem. The mayor pro tem substitutes for the mayor in the event of an absence.
“He’s been on the council for the last two years, and he’s done a fantastic job,” Spruell said during the meeting.
The newly elected and reelected City Council members read and signed their oaths of office to an applauding audience of friends and family.
Clarisa Osborn, Spruell and Carly Wolf will serve four-year terms. In the April 7 election, Osborn was the lead vote-getter with 1,035 votes, Spruell was reelected with 1,004 votes, and Wolf earned 906 votes.
Claire West, with 827 votes, and Kathleen Swope, with 859 votes, will serve two-year terms.
In addition to electing the two leadership positions, new council members decided which advisory boards to sit on. Advisory boards are mostly comprised of interested community members appointed by council. Council members do not have a voting role on these committees but they report on the initiatives taken at board meetings to council for consideration.
Wolf chose the Public Arts Advisory Committee. West elected to sit on the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Advisory Board. Swope nominated herself to the Library Advisory Board and Osborn chose the Airport Advisory Board, which is in the process of being established.
“It’s an important perspective for them to each hear from the volunteers who have joined this board because they are dedicated to this topic,” Medina said in an interview with The Journal, adding that these liaison positions allow council members to keep a finger on the pulse of community priorities.
A future agenda item for the new council includes approving ordinances that officially enact changes to the City Charter, which Cortez residents approved in the April 7 election.
Measures to correct grammatical mistakes, clarify city procedures and affirm the validity of online participation in council meetings passed.
“Now we have to go change city code, and to do that we have to pass the requisite ordinances,” City Manager Drew Sanders said in an interview with The Journal, adding that the ordinances will appear in upcoming meetings.
This story was updated Tuesday to report the results of Tuesday’s council meeting.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
