New Airline to Serve Cortez Beginning Oct. 1

A new airline will begin service at the Cortez Municipal Airport in October. The city's outdoor pool is now open, and the city has a new attorney. You're watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by the Lor Foundation and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley. I'm Wendy Grahams Settle. Denver Air Connection, a subsidy of the Key Lime Air Corporation, will begin providing essential air service to Cortez. Beginning October 1st. Denver Air was one of two airlines vying for the federally subsidized route and received broad community support from Montezuma county, the city of Cortez and Tourism and Economic Development Organizations. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the selection in May. Denver Air replaces Boutique Air, which has offered service at the airport for the past four years. Boutique did not submit a proposal to continue service. The airline will provide 12 weekly roundtrip flights to Denver International Airport and 12 weekly round trips to Phoenix Sky Harbor International airport. The company will use a nine-seat Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner, 23 aircraft. Denver Air also has an Interline agreement with United airlines. That means you can book a connecting flight on United through Denver Air's website. The Cortez airport is an essential air service facility and an airline that serves an essential service airport, receives a significant amount in federal funds as a subsidy. It allows air carriers to provide air service to small communities that otherwise couldn't sustain passenger air service on their own. In its proposal, Denver Air requested a subsidy of $6 million for the first year. Denver Air is the passenger arm of Key Lime Air Corporation. A Colorado company that started in 1997 as a cargo in Charter Flight Airline. It provides scheduled air service to 12 airports in the Rocky mountains and the Midwest with connections to major hubs in Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and Chicago. The airline has a 99% completion rate on flights. To learn more, visit denverairconnection.com or the city's website at cortezco.gov. The Cortez Municipal outdoor pool is now open a week later than its traditional opening date of Memorial day weekend. Parks and Recreation Director Creighton Wright, said he had difficulty hiring staff. And finding trained lifeguards. The country already was experiencing a lifeguard shortage before the pandemic. And locally, the pandemic limited opportunities to encourage strong swimmers to become a lifeguard. Lap swimming will be available from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM, Monday through Sunday. Open-swim will be from one to 4:50 PM. Monday through Sunday. Swim lessons tentatively are scheduled to begin on June 13th. For more information, visit cortezco.gov and navigate to the Parks and Recreation page.

Patrick Coleman, an attorney with more than 30 years of experience, including 16 years representing local governments in Colorado, will become the first Cortez city attorney who is also a city employee. In the past, he city attorney was hired as a contractor. Coleman has served as the Routt County attorney, the Montrose County attorney, and Mesa County attorney in Grand Junction. He also has served as an assistant city attorney in charge of land use and real estate for the city of Loveland, Colorado. During his 18 years in private practice, he focused on real estate development, government regulatory matters, agricultural law, water law, corporate law, and contract law. He grew up on a family ranch in the foothills west of Denver. He begins his Cortez role on June 20th. That's it for this week's Roundup. Thanks for watching. I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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