Delta County Independent, Feb. 8, 2017

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NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

NEW MEETS OLD

CASH CROP

Crawford residents find common ground at community potluck, B3

BRIDAL GUIDE

Orchard City residents debate marijuana as revenue source, C1

DELTA COUNTY

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Planning commission composition eyed BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer

As the county moves forward with its master plan rewrite process and simultaneously with a master county trails plan, there may also be an effort to look at, and perhaps make changes in, the composition of the county planning commission to ensure it represents the entire county fairly and equally. Commissioner Don Suppes suggested an evaluation of the planning commission because it has only one member from his commissioner district #2. That is chairman Dick Disner of Cedaredge. There are seven members on the county planning commission now. Statute may allow as many as nine members. Representation on the county planning commission is apportioned not by popula-

ley. A core group of county staff and professional planners are also working with the professional planning

tion as with the commissioner districts, but rather by area planning committee membership. There are three APCs in commissioner district #3 (North Fork Valley) but only one each in commissioner districts #1 (Delta) and #2 (Surface Creek). Suppes suggested that in order to ensure there is fair and equal representation from all areas of the county during the master plan rewrite process, the county planning commission should have more membership from the Surface Creek area. Representation based on population of commissioner districts would also mean more members from the Delta area. The planning commission is to be a lead county agency in the master plan rewrite process, according to county administrator Robbie LeVal-

consultant who is driving the master plan rewrite process. County staff is to research the applicable state statutes

and report back for further discussion with the BoCC about the planning commission composition.

North Fork residents protest oil/gas lease BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer

The Board of County Commissioners on Monday approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Gunnison Energy LLC for activities on a parcel in the Iron Point Federal Exploratory Unit. Commissioners also approved a letter to the Bureau of Land Management supporting Gunnison Energy’s bid to have the parcel, which was formerly leased, re-nominated and re-leased. The parcel is located just north of the Elk Creek Mine. In a letter from Gunnison Energy the lease for the parcel was inadvertently allowed to expire in 2015 as a result of a clerical error. The lease was originally acquired in 2001 and the first well was drilled in the area in 2003. In the letter, the company goes on to pledge that if it obtains rights to explore and develop the re-leased parcel it will treat the parcel as “no surface occupancy” and access the minerals there via directional drilling from adjacent lands. If the BLM decides to open competitive bidding on the re-nominated parcel, there is no guarantee Gunnison Energy will win the lease. Commissioners also approved a letter to the BLM supporting Gunnison Energy’s bid to re-nominate the parcel for a public leasing process. The commissioners’ letter notes that exploration and development activity on the parcel in question began nearly 15 years ago, that Gunnison Energy has proven to be a responsible operator, and that development of the minerals there would provide for additional mineral revenues for Delta County. North Fork residents were at Monday’s meeting to object to both the MOU and the

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Bridal Guide ............. D6-7 Business ........................ A5 Church ............................B5 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone ............ A8, B8 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................C6-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ..................C4-5

county’s letter to the BLM. Robin Smith of Paonia noted North Fork Valley residents are overwhelmingly opposed to oil and gas development. Elena Goldstein of Crawford said the commissioners’ consideration of the MOU was “surprising and sudden” and she advised the board to consult with legal counsel before proceeding. Elaine Brett of Paonia said she was also surprised to see the MOU appear on the commissioners’ business agenda for the day. Brent Helleckson said people in the North Fork have concerns about three issues — water quality, air quality and induced seismicity caused by injection wells. He asked who will pay for monitoring. He opposed the MOU until more questions are answered. Natasha Leger of Paonia advised taking no action on the MOU. She complained about the lack of advance public notice of the commissioners’ consideration of the document. North Fork residents Bill Fritche and David Inouye expressed concerns of possible negative impacts to the lifestyle and environment there. Before voting on the MOU, commissioners expressed their views on the matter. Commissioner Mark Roeber said, “There is a lot of misunderstanding about what the MOU does.” He explained that it is essentially a pledge by Gunnison Energy to develop the parcel under no surface occupancy restrictions if the BLM agrees to again put it up for lease for minerals development, and if Gunnison Energy becomes the new lessee. Roeber noted that in his conversations with constituents he found that the offer of OIL/GAS PROTEST TO A3

Big band sound

Photo by Pat Sunderland

An estimated 250 middle and high school musicians gathered at the Delta Center for Performing Arts Monday for the annual Delta County Band Festival. Above, students work with Dr. Michael Flynn, director of bands and brass instruction at Western State Colorado University in Gunnison. The middle school clinician was Isaac Lavadie, director of bands at Grand Junction High School and drumline instructor for the CMU Maverick Stampede Marching Band. Musicians not only benefitted from the expertise of guest clinicians, but also from the experience of a “big band” sound emanating from the large combined woodwind, brass and percussion sections.

City, county officers play vital role in shooting investigation BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Dan Hotsenpiller, district attorney, 7th Judicial District, last week completed his review of a fatal shooting by Montrose County Sheriff ’s Deputy Bruce Schmalz on Nov. 11, 2016. Deputy Schmalz was patrolling the west end of Montrose County when he was ambushed by a person he did not know and had not interacted with in any manner. According to Hotsenpiller’s report, Deputy Schmalz was essentially a sitting duck in his patrol vehicle, unable to call for backup because he was out of cell phone and radio range. After the suspect, later identified as William Score Jr., fired several shots into the hood and windshield of the patrol vehicle, his gun apparently jammed. He was reaching into his jacket in what appeared to be an effort to obtain further ammunition when the deputy fired several shots, killing Score. Deputy Schmalz was shot in the hand, although he did not realize it until later. The district attorney determined Deputy Schmalz’s use of force was justified. “The

Democrats reorganize The Delta County Democratic Party will hold its Central Committee reorganization meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Paonia Library. The agenda will include the election of officers for the 2017-2018 term, including the offices of chair, first and second vice chairs, secretary and treasurer. The public is welcome, and any registered Democrat in Delta County may run for an office, however only members of the Central Committee may vote. Any questions may be directed to Sarah Jacobson, 970-527-4267.

threat was real, the threat was immediate, the threat was continuing and the threat was deadly,” Hostenpiller said in a letter to Montrose County Sheriff Rick Dunlap dated Jan. 31. His findings were based on an extensive investigation conducted by the Seventh Judicial District Critical Incident Investigation Team (CIIT). Jason Warth, Delta County sheriff ’s investigator, was the team leader. Detective Sgt. Greg Birely and Officer RDean Young of the Delta Police Department also participated in the investigation. The CIIT unit involved nine separate law enforcement agencies and 18 officers from within the 7th Judicial District. This group of investigators is often called the “shoot team,” but DPD Chief Luke Fedler explains team members are tasked with investigating any serious injury or death where law enforcement was involved, including the death of an inmate in jail or a suspect in the back of a patrol car. About a year ago, the CIIT investigated an incident where an individual died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

That man was engaged in a standoff with officers, but the investigation proved they did not pull the trigger. Det. Sgt. Quinn Archibeque, Delta County Sheriff ’s Office, was not involved in the Montrose County investigation but has been a CIIT team member in the past. He explains the impacted agency first contacts Sgt. Tim Cox, Montrose Police Department and CIIT commander. Sgt. Cox issues a call to detectives and investigators in the 7th Judicial District and those who are available gather for a briefing. A lead investigator is appointed and he then delegates assignments, from conducting interviews to visiting the scene to gathering evidence for analysis. While the affected agency is not involved in the investigation, a seasoned officer from that department often acts as a liaison. Because team members are so spread out, from Telluride and Mountain Village to Gunnison and Delta, a great deal of communication is done by email and telephone. Over the course of several months, team members may actually SHOOT TEAM TO A3

Highway 50 accident claims one life

On Monday, Feb. 6, at approximately 7:27 p.m., officers of the Delta Police Department were dispatched to a two-vehicle accident in the 1300 block of Highway 50 in North Delta. The accident scene was located in the eastbound lane with one vehicle still in the lanes of traffic and the other vehicle on the south side of the roadway. The damage to the vehicles indicated the crash was potentially a head-on collision. Four people were involved. Two people sustained serious injuries, one sustained life-ending injuries, and one person refused care. Delta County coroner Lance Boren identified the deceased as Gladys Varela, 19, of Olathe. Highway 50 was closed and traffic diverted to an alternate route, including the use of G-50 Road, with the assistance of Colorado Department of Transportation. Multiple agencies, to include Delta Fire, Delta County Ambulance District, Delta County Sheriff’s Office, and Colorado State Patrol worked together to assist in the investigation. The highway was fully re-opened around 12:45 a.m. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact the Delta Police Department at 970-874-7676 as soon as possible.


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Delta County Independent, Feb. 8, 2017 by Delta County Independent - Issuu