NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
BENEATH THE BARK Jim Leser spotlights dying native pinyon trees, C2
SPORTS
CYBER SECURITY
HEADIN’ TO HOUSTON
Town of Hotchkiss experiences ransomware attack, B1
Delta All-Stars baseball team earns state championship, C4
DELTA COUNTY
JULY 17, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 29
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Chaco building morphs into education center BY PAT SUNDERLAND Contributing Writer
Since the completion of asbestos remediation, quiet has again settled around the old City Market/Chaco building at the corner of 6th and Meeker streets in Delta. But looks can be deceiving. There may not be any visible activity, but there’s a lot going on, reports Michael Klouser, director of the Technical College of the Rockies. The building was purchased by Delta County Joint School District #50 and the tech college in 2017 with the goal of supporting entrepreneurs and business growth through the ENGAGE program. Grants for planning, design, renovation and operations were pursued in partnership with Delta County Economic Development, Delta County, City of Delta, DOLA and Region 10. While office space will still be available for DCED, Region 10 and the Small Business Development Center, use of the remaining space has changed. Stakeholders determined the greatest need is for expansion of the health programs offered at the tech college. Partnering agencies have also expanded, to include Delta County Memorial Hospital, the hospital foundation and Western Colorado Area Health Education Center (WCAHEC). A Denver architect is working on an interior design that will accommodate health care and EMS programs currently offered at the campus south of town. “In addition, we will have office space and a large area suitable for community functions, with a capacity of
about 200 people,” Klouser said. Design work for the 22,000square-foot building is being funded through a Department of Local Affairs grant. For construction, the tech college has applied for a $3 million grant from the Colorado Department of Higher Education. These funds just recently became available to the three technical colleges in the state, when the state Legislature set aside $4 million for capital projects. Each request must be approved by the Legislature so there’s no guarantee of full or even partial funding, and the decision won’t be made until the next legislative session. The earliest funds would be available is July 1, 2020. Klouser also presented the health care center concept at Rural Philanthropy Days and received some positive feedback. While both the school district and the tech college are budgeting funds for the project, Klouser said community partners are vital to the grant process and ultimately to the completion of the project. If funding falls into place, Klouser said he’s “cautiously optimistic” the renovation of the building could be complete by the fall 2021 term. “After we’re done with the project, we expect to expand programs for LPNs, nurse aides, and medical/clinical assisting program, and to build on our EMS programs,” Klouser said. Currently, there’s a waiting list for the practical nursing program, the EMS program has grown to near capacity, and nurse aide programs produce 75 to
DPD awarded $60,869 in grants BY EMY LYNN ROQUE CISNEROS Staff Writer
The Delta Police Department was recently awarded three grants. A $43,600 Gray and Black Market Marijuana Enforcement grant created through passage of state House Bill 17-1221 will go toward investigation and prosecution costs associated with unlicensed marijuana cultivation or distribution operations. Police chief Luke Fedler said the funds will be useful for overtime hours and to purchase equipment. DPD also received a Gray and Black grant last year, which was about $2,000 less. The Colorado Department of Transportation awarded the department a $10,000 High Visibility Enforcement grant to provide overtime pay for officers to enforce the state’s impaired driving laws. This traffic safety approach is used to deter and change unlawful traffic behaviors. While on patrol, police departments
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health Pages ...............B7-8 Legals ............................ D3 North Fork Times .....B1-3,6 Obituaries ..................... A6 Service Directory .......... D5 Sports ..........................C4-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ..................B4-5
incorporate various elements and strategies, such as electronic message boards, road signs, and command posts to make enforcement efforts obvious. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Although forewarning the public might seem counterproductive to apprehending violators, it actually increases the deterrent effect.” For the year 2020, the DPD will receive $7,269 for its Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement (BATTLE) task force. Each year the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority awards approximately $4 million in grants to reduce automobile theft in Colorado. These funds can go toward apprehension and prevention for auto theft. Speaking on the significance of receiving these grants, Chief Fedler said, “This is a lot of money we can use that won’t come out of city funds.”
80 nurse aides every year. The state-of-the-art health care facility will also provide a venue for continuing education courses for licensed health care professionals. “Everything will be new and be purchased through an advisory board, with input from WCAHEC and Rocky Vista University in Parker,”
Klouser said. “Once programs move out of the main campus, we will be able to expand programming here to include training for the transportation industry, HVAC, carpentry and welding, to name a few.” Automotive/diesel mechanics, drafting and intro computer classes can also be expanded.
One benefit of bringing students to the downtown area will be an increase in foot traffic to restaurants and shops, Klouser said. “During peak class time, we could have 150 people in that building. I think that is where our partners at the city and county really see a benefit to this thing going forward.”
Photo by Tamie Meck
A heavy load
A locomotive pushes cars loaded with coal from Somerset toward Delta Monday morning. Coal trains generally haul between 125 and 150 rail cars, and can be up to 1.5 miles in length.
Delta resident repeatedly ticketed for vicious dog On Saturday, June 29, at approximately 2 p.m., an officer of the Delta Police Department received information concerning a 12-year-old juvenile male being bitten by a dog in the 600 block of Silver Street. The owner of the dog was notified and the dog was placed in quarantine. Code enforcement was advised of the incident. This incident resulted in the dog owner, Sylvia Marie Fantin, 32, of Delta being issued a ticket for alleged vicious animal and city animal license required. Officers of the Delta Police Department, to include animal control/code enforcement, have responded to this address on numerous occasions. At least seven incidents have resulted in the owner/occupants of the residence being cited for alleged vicious animals and other animal related city code violations. An animal owner may be cited for vicious animal if the animal they own, have control over or are responsible for, inflicts an injury on a human being that involves a break to the skin which may be contaminated with saliva from the animal. The offending animal is placed on 10-day
quarantine (isolated confinement) for observation of specific health symptoms relating to rabies, a virus fatal to humans. While it is believed certain breeds of dogs are more aggressive than others, all
dogs are physically capable of biting and injuring a person. All dogs in the city are required by Municipal Code 6.04.030 to be vaccinated against rabies. Rabies vaccinations must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.
Mill levy override on school district agenda BY TAMIE MECK Managing Editor
Delta County School District 50J will consider at its July 18 meeting whether to place a mill levy override question on the Nov. 5 ballot. The district is considering asking voters to approve 1.5 mills to fund transportation, with an eight-year sunset. For a property assessed at $200,000, that equals roughly $21.46 per year, or about $1.79 per month. The district’s fleet of 38 buses was purchased between 2002-2004. Due to the age of the fleet, annual maintenance and repair costs have doubled in the last three years, according to the district. In the 201718 school year, buses traveled 365,000 route miles, and
186,000 activity miles. A poll completed by the district last spring showed that 51 percent of respondents favored funding transporation, while less than 50% favored funding for school safety and additional counselors. Because the district has three open seats, this year’s school board election will cost about $20,000. The mill levy questions would be placed on the ballot at no additional cost, according to the district. “I believe the poll was very good at helping us determine a focus for a mill levy override,” said district superintendent Caryn Gibson. “Transportation is a big need.” The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the district office, 145 West 4th Street.
CDOT projects to impact traffic
DCED annual meeting July 17
A chip and seal project by Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor United Companies has begun on four stretches of state highways 92 in Montrose and Delta counties and a section of Highway 133 in Delta County that will affect local traffic flows. Projects include: Hwy 92 between mile posts 55 and 62 north of the Black Canyon and west of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Hwy. 92 between miles 6.98-15.5 east of Delta to Rogers Mesa. Hwy. 92 between mile posts 0.02 and 4.2 east of Delta. Hwy 133 between mile posts 0 and 11.43 from Hotchkiss to Bowie. Between the hours of 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, travelers can expect one-lane alternating traffic with delays of 20 minutes and reduced speed limits. The project is part of CDOT’s “Whole System. Whole Safety” initiative aimed at enhancing safety for Colorado traveler, and is anticipated to be completed by the end of September. For updates, call the project hotline at 970-497-4744.
Delta County Economic Development’s 23rd annual meeting begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, at Orchard City Town Hall. Networking, to include appetizers, begins at 5:15 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. with “Rural Economic Development — it’s not sexy,” a presentation and Q&A session by Region 9 executive director Laura Lewis Marchino. The board will announce director election results. Nominees are Susan Welk De Valdez and Zander Parker. Since there are five open seats, writein candidates may be submitted with paper ballot. To ensure seating for the 6 p.m. session, business owners can RSVP at the DCED office, 970-874-4992, or email nicci@deltacountyed.org.