NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
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Airport lands in the middle of Paonia budget talks, B1
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DELTA COUNTY
ON THE DIAMOND Delta Panthers clinch third 4A WSL softball title, B5
OCTOBER 7, 2015 VOL. 132, NO. 40
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Another round of layoffs hits mines BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer
The announcement of layoffs at Bowie Mine #2 on Sept. 29 by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bowie Resources LLC (BRP), is expected to have lasting negative impacts on Delta County’s economy. BRP will lay off 78 fulltime positions and eliminate 19 contractors as part of its efforts to scale back production of its Bowie #2 mine at Somerset “as a result of idling its longwall while it develops a new longwall panel and continues to evaluate the market for Bowie #2 coal,” according to a press release. Development of the new longwall panel is expected to take 12 months.
in Utah. Bowie Mine #2 has been in production since 1998. According to the BPR website, from 2000 through 2007 it was ranked No. 1 or No. 2 nationwide “for efficient longwall production.” Bowie Resources eliminated 150 jobs last fall after losing a contract to sell coal to the Tennessee Valley Authority. The layoffs bring the number of local mining jobs lost since 2012 to almost 600. While exact figures weren’t available, the effects “will be significant on our Delta County families, schools and community,” said county administrator Robbie LeValley. It’s too early to tell just how the job losses will affect Delta County School District
mine currently The employs 181 full-time employees and contractors, according to the release. “Some of the affected employees will be relocated where possible to fill vacancies in other parts of the business,” stated Gene E. DiClaudio, BRP’s chief operating officer, in the release. “However, layoffs are unfortunately unavoidable.” According to the release, BRP owns and operates three underground coal mines in Utah and one in Colorado. With 15.8 million tons of coal sales in 2014, it is the leading western producer of bituminous coal — “cleanburning, low-sulfur thermal coal,” primarily for use for domestic power generators
enrollment or future budgets, said school district business manager Jim Ventrello. Since this school year’s budget reflects the 2014-15 student count, the district won’t feel the financial effects until the 2016-2017 school calen-
dar year. While final figures weren’t available, districtwide student numbers this year are down an estimated 44 students, but not nearly the 160 students the district anticipated it would lose and that MINE LAYOFFS TO A3
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Former DPD chief received $50,000 severance payment BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
After written Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests, the City of Delta has disclosed Robert Thomas received a $50,000 severance payment upon his retirement as police chief. The city initially refused to disclose that information, citing “personnel” issues, but city attorney David McConaughy agreed the payment is public information. Thomas was paid an additional $19,031.52, the remaining balance of accrued paid time off to which he was entitled under law. Thomas was placed on paid administrative leave in late August. Because there was indication of an internal investigation, but not a criminal inquiry, the Delta County Independent also requested “any information in Robert Thomas’s personnel file related to complaints of any kind, including harassment, discrimination or retaliation in the last 12 months.” The city responded there are no such documents in Thomas’s personnel file. A copy of Thomas’s “formal retirement letter” was also requested. In a letter dated
Sept. 21, Thomas stated, “My retirement is effective Sept. 12, 2015.” His decision was not announced until nearly two weeks later, in a brief press release issued by city manager Glen Black on Sept. 28. No reference was made to any investigation. A request for any settlement/separation agreement was the subject of a Delta District Court hearing Tuesday afternoon. While no “agreement” with Thomas was executed by any city official, the city acknowledges Thomas did sign a “release.” “This document is in the custody of city attorney David McConaughy but has been submitted to the Delta County District Court with a request for the court to determine whether it should be properly disclosed,” city clerk Jolene Nelson responded in a letter to the DCI. As city clerk, Nelson is the official records custodian for the City of Delta. In a petition to the court, McConaughy noted, “The release includes language that certain records concerning Mr. Thomas cannot be disclosed without his permission
or without a court order of disclosure under CORA. However, it is ambiguous whether the release itself can or should be disclosed. Mr. Thomas has not consented to the disclosure of the release and, through counsel, has asserted that the document should remain confidential because its release would not be in the public interest.” attached McConaughy as an exhibit a letter from Michael Grattan III, Thomas’s attorney. “While recognizing the important policies behind the Colorado Open Records Act, Mr. Thomas believes that disclosure of any information (other than his payment record) relating to his departure from employment by the City of Delta is inappropriate because such disclosure would POLICE CHIEF TO A3
Chicken barn OK’d BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
The Board of County Commissioners on Monday approved the specific development application for Kurtz Chicken Ranch on Redlands Mesa. Approval came on a 3-0 vote. county planning The department will now draft an official development agreement between the county and David Kurtz, DVM, for operation of the facility. The BoCC will review and take final action on the agreement at an upcoming meeting.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Agriculture .....................C5 Back Page ................... D8 Business .........................C6 Church ............................C4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-3 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A5 Service Directory ........ D7 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ................. D5-6
Photo by Pat Sunderland
A taste of Colorado
Governor John Hickenlooper proclaimed Sept. 30 as Colorado Proud School Meal Day. This statewide event encourages schools to incorporate Colorado products into their meals, to celebrate Colorado agriculture and to educate students about healthy eating. At Garnet Mesa Elementary School, kitchen manager Sherry Gilmore and her staff served a menu consisting of biscuits and gravy, roasted potatoes, carrots, apples and milk — the potatoes from the San Luis Valley and the apples from Delta County orchards. Above, Brycen Montanez, Aiden Duty and Natalie Velasquez load their trays.
Deputies hailed for rescue from submerged vehicle
On Sept. 21, Delta County Sheriff ’s Office Deputies Daniel Abeyta, Kevin Ray and Travis Lackey responded to a single vehicle accident in the 2100 block of State Highway 348. The accident was reported to dispatch by Larry Proctor, who was passThe board’s vote Monday ing by and saw the vehicle came with conditions that in the ditch. Units with the planning staff had recom- Delta Fire Department and mended be included. Those Delta County Ambulance also conditions are as follows: responded to assist. • All outside lighting shall The vehicle was an SUV be hooded and/or pointed which was upside down and towards the ground so as not halfway submerged in an irrito pollute the night sky and gation canal with the driver not allow any glare onto adja- still trapped inside. cent properties. Upon arrival, all three dep• Noxious weeds shall be uties entered the canal and controlled on the property at promptly started to assess all times. possible entries into the sub• The project’s engineer merged vehicle. Throughout shall certify with his regis- that process, the vehicle was tered professional engineer filling with water. stamp that the drainage Communication was made CHICKEN BARN TO A3 with the driver, later iden-
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tified as Ron Bonine, 80, a Delta County resident who advised them he was in a place that had air and was all right. Constant communication continued with the driver and he remained calm as they worked to rescue him. After failed attempts were made to get one of the doors to open, the decision was made to break out the rear window of the SUV to try and bring Bonine out to safety through the rear hatch. Once the window was broken, the deputies and fire department personnel extracted the driver from the submerged vehicle. The driver was turned over to awaiting EMS personnel and checked for injuries, which appeared to be very minor. Bonine was transported to Delta County Memorial Hospital for treatment. Deputies advised that if it were not for Larry Proctor,
who spotted the vehicle in the ditch, the outcome may have been quite different, considering the time elements and the temperature of the water. “I would like to take this opportunity to commend Deputy Abeyta, Deputy Ray and Deputy Lackey for their quick response, courage and professionalism during this incident, along with a special thank you to the Delta Fire Department and the Delta County Ambulance for their professionalism and efforts with this incident,” said Lt. William Palmer, Delta County Sheriff ’s Office. “Also I would like to recognize Larry Proctor for being an alert citizen and observing the vehicle in the ditch and calling in to report it and getting help on the way.” Bonine has fully recovered from his ordeal, but says it RESCUE TO A3
Election forums
Burns planned
Holiday closures
Two candidate forums are scheduled for school board candidates. The first takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Delta Center for Performing Arts and is hosted by the school district’s coordinating council, classified council and accountability committee. The League of Women Voters will host a second forum and will also present information on the local and state issues that appear on this year’s ballot. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Hotchkiss High School. The public is invited to either or both events.
The U.S. Forest Service plans to burn piles in the Ward Lake and Island Lake areas on Grand Mesa. The Ward Lake piles consist of slash (branches and trees) from fuels treatment within the wildland urban interface and the Island Lake piles contain slash produced from a parking lot expansion. Fire officials anticipate conditions will be suitable to burn this week, with a possibility of continuing into the fall. Burning will occur only if weather, staffing and smoke dispersal conditions are compliant. Officials advise smoke may be visible during the pile burning.
City of Delta government offices will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Columbus Day. Bill Heddles Recreation Center and Devil’s Thumb Golf Club will be open regular hours. Refuse that is normally picked up on Mondays will be picked up on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Fall clean-up will take place the week of Oct. 19. City residents are asked to have items ready for pickup by 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19. Place the items next to where you normally put your trash receptacle. Bag leaves, separate metal and pile branches in lengths of 10 feet or less.