By Anthony Guerrero
MONTE VISTA— In addition to listening to a couple of special presentations that were reported in last week’s Monte Vista Journal the Monte Vista City Council took action on some items of interest and listened to departmental reports at their Thursday, Jan. 17 meeting.

Conour Animal Shelter
As the council was set to consider renewing the city’s contract with Conour Animal Shelter, shelter volunteer and City Councilor Kathy Ellithorpe addressed the audience and council on behalf of the organization. Ellithorpe was joined by some fellow volunteers as well as a recently rescued dog that was not in the best of shape. Ellithorpe shared that during the dog’s rehabilitation it would cost the shelter around $400-$500.
According to Ellithorpe, this year the animal shelter has held animals beyond the shelter’s capacity. They have also had a plethora of puppies this past year that are often accidental and a result of dogs not being spayed and neutered. Conour Shelter also takes animals from other cities around the Valley not just Monte Vista.
Ellithorpe invited the public and civic organizations to volunteer. She said there are lots of different needs so volunteers can find where they would feel they can make the best contribution. Volunteers could potentially spend time with the animals, walk them or even help in the office.
The city council unanimously approved the renewal of the yearly contract with Conour Animal Shelter that provides $2500 per month.

City Clerk
City Clerk Unita Vance updated the council. Vance informed that she had hired a new deputy clerk— Donna Gonzales. Gonzales has lived in Monte Vista for 12 years, originally from New Mexico, but now considers Monte her home. She said she is thankful for the opportunity given to her and is looking forward to being part of the city team.
Vance also suggested to council that a cost saving measure would be to use electronic notepads for meetings and their paperwork instead of her having to print out council packets for every meeting. The packet on Thursday night was 97 pages multiplied by five councilors and the portions shared with the public.
The first application for backyard chickens was also submitted last week according to Vance. She is hopeful the citizens who were at the meetings in favor of the backyard chickens will soon turn in their applications to be in compliance.
Vance next requested that she would like to set up meet and greets with council members and the public. Mayor Dale Becker will kick off the events and the hope is to alternate between councilors every month. Dates will be announced soon.
Councilors were informed that it is election year. The seats of Kathy Ellithorpe and Kathy Lorenz are up for election or re-election. The terms will expire on Dec. 31, 2019. Ellithorpe and Lorenz were appointed after the resignations of Joe Schlabach and Carol Schroeder in 2018. Anyone who wants to run for the seats, who is a citizen of Monte Vista, will need to have an intent to run into Vance by July 26, 2019.