NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
HISTORIC SITE
HOLIDAY MAGIC
Bross Hotel recognized for social, architectural significance, B1
SPORTS DRIVEN TO EXCEL
Bigger-than-life ornaments adorn huge Christmas tree, C1
DELTA COUNTY
Panther wrestlers outdistance competition at Delta Invitational, C5 DECEMBER 16, 2015 VOL. 132, NO. 50
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INDEPENDENT
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It’s time to think about municipal elections BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
There’s a new twist on municipal elections in 2016. To allow enough time for ballots to be delivered to vot-
ers overseas, the timeline for ballot preparation has been moved up. That means petitions for prospective councilmembers in all Delta County munici-
A holiday tradition
palities will be circulated from Jan. 5 through Jan. 25. “People are going to have to start sooner, but it gives us plenty of time to get ready,” said Rene Loy Maas, Delta
Photo by Pat Sunderland
For an estimated 40 years, students from Garnet Mesa Elementary School have lined the curving staircase at Bank of the West to perform holiday favorites. The tradition continued Dec. 11 with music director Joe Siennicki leading the kindergartners through a selection of popular Christmas carols and finger plays. The young performers were rewarded with candy canes, distributed by Santa Claus as the students prepared to leave the bank and board their buses.
County elections supervisor. She anticipates all municipalities will conduct their elections through the county — unless there are just enough (or not enough) candidates to fill the open seats. In that case, the election will likely be cancelled. Overseas ballots will be mailed Feb. 19. Voters in Delta County should expect to see their ballots in the mail the week of March 14. Election day is April 5. “Not a lot of people think of the municipal election in January, but they’re going to need to,” said Jolene Nelson, Delta city clerk. In Delta, three council seats will be filled during the municipal election. The seats are currently held by Ray Penick, Mary Cooper and Robert Jurca. Cooper and Jurca are both term limited. Penick represents District A, and Cooper is from District B. Individuals interested in running for those seats must reside within those district boundaries, which can be found on the city website. The other vacancy is an at-large position which can be filled by a qualified elector residing anywhere within the city. Cooper said she’s learned so much during her eight years in office, she’s reluctant to step down. “I spent years as a business
Gunn returns to Delta County Libraries BY LEAH MORRIS
Golf course continues to rely on utility transfers BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Although voters approved a combined parks, recreation and golf department in November 2014, the City of Delta continues to transfer funds from utility accounts to offset golf course expenditures. While all three departments are now under the supervision of Wilma Erven, funds cannot be combined because of the golf course debt, interim city manager Glen Black explained at a recent council meeting. As posed to voters in 2014, the ballot question allowed expanded use of the threequarter-cent sales tax previously dedicated to rec center operations and maintenance. Voter approval permitted use of the funds for all types of parks, recreation and open space uses, including Devil’s Thumb. Black said the key word is may, as in those funds may be used for golf course operations. In 2016, the city has budgeted transfers totaling $380,000
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Back Page ................... D8 Business .......................A10 Church ........................ D5-6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health & Fitness .........B7-8 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A8 School Zone .................. A6 Service Directory ........ D7 Sports ..........................C5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-4 TV Listings ..................B5-6
from the sewer, water and refuse funds. “We’re hoping that we won’t need it all,” said councilmember Bill Raley. In addition, expanded use of recreation center funds will eliminate the need for transfers to the general fund. “For the first time in my knowledge, the general fund will be self-sustaining,” Black said. The 2016 budget totals $28.6 million, and the mill levy has again been certified at zero. Property owners in Delta city limits pay no property taxes to support city operations; instead, the primary source of revenue is a 3 percent sales tax. The golf course fund totals $919,914, which includes a portion of Wilma Erven’s salary to recognize her supervisory role. In 2016, a mechanic’s salary is also being moved from the internal services fund to the golf course fund, because he primarily works on golf carts and groundskeeping equipment. In a follow-up interview, Erven discussed the cost-saving measures being taken to
minimize transfers from the utility funds. The golf course is currently closed Wednesdays and Thursdays, the least busy days during the winter. Only Ken Brown, head golf pro, and Ian Peluso, golf course superintendent, are working full time; no seasonal personnel are currently on the payroll. Brown is running both the snack bar and the pro shop, with help from Erven. In the snack bar, food service is limited to hot dogs, packaged snacks and bottled pop and beer. Operations on the golf course and in the clubhouse will ramp back up in the spring, but after a year of disappointing food and beverage sales, Erven said they’ll be very selective about what’s offered in the snack bar. “We won’t be so tied to personnel costs and inventory,” she said, “but we will gear up service for tournaments and club events.” Cost overruns in the snack bar, as well as the payment of accrued time off to two GOLF COURSE TO A3
owner saying, ‘They should do something about this, and they should do something about that’ and I decided I should be one of the ‘they.’ I hope whoever steps in and takes over my seat has a deep regard and downright care for the City of Delta and is willing to sit down and face the hard things that need to be addressed along with the enjoyable moments that will occur.” She has represented the city on the boards of Delta County Economic Development, Blake Field and Project 7 Water Authority. “I have had a real learning curve on DCED and have admiration for the members who work long hours and no pay to try and get more jobs and businesses into Delta,” Cooper said. “My position on Project 7 and the airport board have given me a greater appreciation for operations when I turn on the water or watch the planes fly over (I live at the base of the airport). “I hope there are many people willing to invest themselves for four years and help keep the City of Delta on the right path towards the future,” she said. “There are exciting things going on in the background and I have every confidence in the direction the City of Delta is heading.” ELECTIONS TO A3
Delta County Libraries
A former employee has found her way back to the Delta County Libraries, and her return will be evident in all five libraries over the next few months. LaDonna Gunn started working for Delta County Libraries in 2007. She began as the Cedaredge Library teen librarian, then moved to the Hotchkiss administrative offices in 2009 to work on grants and public relations. Gunn relocated with her husband to Elko, Nev., in 2012, where she continued to develop grants for Delta County Libraries for almost another year before she became the youth services librarian for the Elko-Lander-Eureka County Library System in northeastern Nevada and worked at the Elko County Library. Now, Delta County Libraries is fortunate to have hired Gunn back as a regional manager. At least at first, she will be working with staff in all five libraries, filling in management gaps throughout the district. “I am excited to have LaDonna back,” says interim district director Lea Hart. “Her skills and experience will be of great benefit to the district. Initially, we are planning to utilize her as a connection for all of our librar-
ies, improving communication with staff and the community and adding consistency to our services across the county.” In the basement of the Hotchkiss Library, Gunn is a whirlwind of organization, sorting papers, moving furniture and setting up a work area to suit her needs. At one point, she opens a desk drawer, pulls out a file folder tab and exclaims, “Hey, this has my handwriting on it.” In reality, a whole lot more than Gunn’s handwriting has lasted at the libraries during her time away. Grant funding, program organization and marketing procedures are just some of the past improvements she made that have successfully carried the libraries through the last few years. Gunn’s grant writing led to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding of numerous library computers and other equipment near the end of 2010. Much of this technology is still in use. Gunn elaborates on some of her other projects that have had a lasting effect, explaining, “We received a couple of LSTA [Library Services and Technology Act] grants. The first brought in several online databases: Grolier, Mango, and Optimal Resume. The second partnered with GUNN TO A3
USFS seeks space in Delta
Visit with Santa
Olathe Miracle
Progress to secure a new lease for the forest headquarters office for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests is occurring. A pre-solicitation notice announcing a 10- to 15-year lease for approximately 13,000 to 15,000 square feet of office space, warehouse storage and parking has been posted on the Government “FedBizOpps.gov” website and legal notices were placed in area newspapers. The agency renewed its desire to remain in the Delta area to provide continued customer service to its stakeholders. The area identified in the pre-solicitation notice identifies north, west, east, and south boundaries for the area of consideration. Interested parties can view the pre-solicitation information on the FedBizOpps website at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/ FS/82X9/R2-16-003/listing.html.
Santa will be at Sweitzer Lake Sunday, Dec. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission to the state park will be waived for those coming to visit Santa. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served. Kids, bring your list so Santa can check it twice. Photographs will be taken and emailed to your parents. Sweitzer Lake State Park is located one mile south of Delta. Look for the turnoff just south of Pioneer Road.
Olathe’s annual “Miracle on Main Street” celebration takes place Friday, Dec. 18. After the parade at 5:30 p.m., follow Santa to the American Legion Hall at 315 S. 5th Street. There will be goodies for the kids and a chance to share last-minute requests. Olathe Rebekah Lodge #99 will host a chili dinner. The cost is $5 for adults, $3 for kids. Bring the whole family for a fun evening in downtown Olathe.