Montrose council plans to move Woodden into District 4 and open his at-large seat citywide
At a special meeting Friday, Oct. 2, Montrose City Councilor J. David Reed proposed filling the council's vacant District 4 seat by appointing at-large Councilor Adam Woodden to it. The seat has been open since Dave Frank resigned effective Sept. 7. Moving Woodden would open his at-large seat instead, and any qualified city resident could apply for it, not only people who live in District 4.
Reed said that after "the difficult and at times divisive period the council has recently experienced," the council should aim for a unanimous pick. "A 3-1 appointment would satisfy the charter. A unanimous appointment would say something more important," he said.
City Attorney Chris Dowsey told the council the move is legally available, and Woodden's term ends in April 2028 in either seat. The council agreed by consensus without a motion, since no ordinance or statute sets the process.
Under the plan, Woodden resigns his at-large seat Monday, Oct. 5, and the council considers appointing him to District 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Applications for the at-large seat open Wednesday, Oct. 7, and are due Oct. 21. Current District 4 applicants can carry theirs over. Interviews and an appointment are planned for Nov. 2.
Ouray County hires a recovery manager for the Gold Mountain Fire
Ouray County has hired Henry Mitchell as recovery manager for the Gold Mountain Fire, the county announced Oct. 1. Mitchell will coordinate damage assessments, rebuilding and permitting, and public infrastructure repairs, and work with state and federal agencies including FEMA and the USDA. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs is funding the three-year position at 75% the first year, 50% the second and 25% the third. Mitchell was San Miguel County's emergency manager from 2017 to 2021 and oversaw Boulder County's emergency operations center during the Marshall Fire.
Montrose police to hold information session on Flock license plate readers
Montrose Police Chief Blaine Hall will lead a public information session on the department's Flock Safety license plate readers Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion Event Center, 1800 Pavilion Drive. The city says residents can learn how police use the readers to generate investigative leads, ask questions and give feedback. In a statement, Hall said the use of the readers "has become an important topic for our community in recent months" and that the department wants to "provide facts and dispel rumors" about how they're used.
Montrose High School student named National Merit Commended Student
Montrose High School Principal Heidi Voehringer announced that Maya Yacovetta has been named a Commended Student in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 students nationwide are being commended. They placed among the top 50,000 who entered the competition by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in 2025. Commended Students don't go on to compete for National Merit scholarships, but they're recognized for exceptional academic promise.
Per resident, Delta and Montrose counties have had Colorado's highest West Nile rates for a decade
Over the last 10 years, Delta County has had Colorado's highest rate of West Nile virus per resident, and Montrose County the second highest, according to a KVNF analysis of state case counts and Census Bureau estimates for 2016 through 2025. Delta's rate is about 11 times the statewide rate; Montrose's is about six times.
This year, Montrose County has 16 of Colorado's 56 cases as of the state's Sept. 30 update, more than twice as many as any other county. Asked whether the county has a mosquito surveillance program like Delta County's, Montrose County Public Health Director Jacqueline Davis said, "We don't have one at this time." She says prevention comes first: drain standing water, cover your skin, take care at dusk and dawn, and use repellent. Read and hear the full story.
