Police and fire radio signal should get a bit stronger thanks to a multi-jurisdictional effort to place a new radio tower on top of Caviness Mountain near Mancos.

The city of Cortez, on behalf of the Cortez Police Department, has secured a $308,036 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to place a 800 Mhz radio tower on Caviness. Officials contend the signal boost will drastically improve radio communications for emergency responders in eastern Montezuma County and western La Plata County.

Montezuma County, Mancos and La Plata County are providing the $62,000 in match funds the grant requires, said Lori Johnson, communications supervisor for the Cortez Police Department at the October 13 City Council meeting.

Southwest Television District also provided the site and a building for the tower, Johnson said.

Now that funding and a site for the tower is secured, installation is slated to begin in coming weeks.

“Weather is going to be a huge factor, but the plan would be (to install it) as soon as possible,” said Johnson.

The radio signal is especially an issue for Mancos police and fire. At a July Mancos Board of Trustees meeting, Marshal John Cox, said that a particular problem area for radio signal is in front of Mancos High School on Grand Avenue.

“We really struggle to get good coverage,” said Cox. “Every day we work, our radios at some point during the day don’t work.”

Testing has indicated that almost 100 percent reception/transmission ability is possible within the town of Mancos with installation of the new equipment.