NORTH FORK TIMES NONPROFIT DISBANDS
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Cocker Kids’ Foundation divides $110,000 among five schools, B1
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DELTA COUNTY
COURTSIDE
Paonia’s Jessie Holt qualifies for state three years running, B7 MAY 11, 2016 VOL. 133, NO. 19
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Economic challenges aired at forum BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
Elected officials and senior staff from around the county met for a municipal quarterly in Paonia on April 29. Economic challenges to individuals, schools and local governments from coal mine layoffs and closures were foremost on officials’ minds. Other initiatives like broadband, solar energy, emergency management and a river corridor study were also highlighted during the session. The top economic issue discussed at the meeting was the impact of the North Fork coal industry’s closures and layoffs. Several different estimates for the economic loss to the county were offered during the gathering of local officials, the people who have the best knowledge next to the mines themselves. One indication of the lost economic value was provided by a former payroll clerk at one of the mines who said she processed $500,000 in paychecks every two weeks. Another estimate valued 600 lost mine jobs at $80,000 average annual pay, resulting in a $48 million annual loss to the local economy. A third estimate counted
peak mine employment at about 1,200 workers, at an average wage (including benefits) of $100,000 per year. That calculates to a $70 million direct loss to the economy from 700 lost jobs. Associated job losses, including mine service businesses and the railroads, have also occurred. A local mining executive said that in the year 2000 there were nine unit trains per day loading and transporting North Fork coal. Now, there are two trains per week taking coal from the remaining mine — the West Elk. Representatives from Crawford said their town government will have to request a hike in property tax there “just to keep going” because of financial impacts from the mine closures. A Paonia town official said that they will see a $100,000 decline next year from a general fund of $650,000 — a more than 15 percent hit — because of lost revenues from state severance taxes and federal minerals leasing income. Other local governments are in the same boat when it comes to severance tax and minerals leasing income. And those economic impacts are
not isolated in Delta County, explained Elyse Ackerman, regional manager with the Colorado Department of Local
Affairs. She described the picture as “not good, not positive.” DOLA’s direct payments program to local governments
from the two revenue sources will decline by 70 percent next year, Ackerman said. CHALLENGES TO A3
Photo by Randy Sunderland
Spring babies
With Mom in front and Dad in back, these baby geese scavenge the grass at Confluence Park for a buggy snack.
Gardner hears local leaders’ concerns BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
During a tour of the Western Slope last week, U.S. Senator Cory Gardner visited with the Delta County Commissioners about federal issues impacting local residents. Gardner told the gathering of eight community leaders at the courthouse that he wanted to hear about the “economic rut the American people have been in for the last 20 years.” Gardner then listened attentively and heard a 45minute presentation by community leaders on a variety of topics ranging from the mining industry’s downturn to expensive and counterproductive ag worker housing regulations. Commissioner Bruce Hovde began the May 5 session by telling Gardner about 700 mining jobs lost from North Fork mines over the past two years. He noted the cumulative multi-year loss to the county budget will total some $2.5 million — a sum equal to 25 percent of the general fund budget for one year. “We have great concerns,” Hovde said. He added that public lands trail closures, the administration’s war on coal, and the county’s ranking as the “third to fifth poorest” in the state are other issues of concerns. Commissioner Doug Atchley, a former banker, said community banking needs to be done on the local level, but today’s mega banks that
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ......................A11 Agriculture .....................C8 Back Page ................... D8 Bruin Tracks ................C3-6 Business .......................A12 Church ........................... D6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-5 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ................ A9-10 School Zone .................. A8 Sports ........................B7-10 Surface Creek News ...C1-7 TV Listings ..................B5-6
are “too big to fail” are centralizing decision making and limiting access to capital that local banks need to expand small business in their communities. Concerns about federal policies concerning ag workers (housing and H2A visas) were next on the agenda. The federal government’s H2A farm worker program is filled with inefficiencies and problems for ag operators, said Nancy Fishering whose family farms in the Uncompahgre Valley. Difficulty getting workers when needed for harvest combined with the cost of new housing regulations are making it hard for family farms to operate, she explained. Kathy Welt of Mountain Coal/West Elk Mine told Gardner that a long list of regulatory burdens are being placed on coal production by multiple federal agencies. In addition, the industry is attacked by opponents with a constant stream of misinformation fed to the public through mainstream media. On the local level, the loss of mining jobs means loss of community support for youth sports, schools, and for local businesses. Proposed new BLM regulations threaten to further limit the ability of coal companies to operate. Delta County Memorial Hospital administrator Jason Cleckler said that although DCMH has “done okay” under the Affordable Care Act, the process has been “extremely difficult” and has required
considerable “risk taking” by the hospital. Low paying Medicare and Medicaid insurance now cover 75 percent of the hospital’s patients, up from 50 percent a short time ago. Payments to providers from the two federal
programs are set to be cut. Behavioral care is in a “crisis” from lack of services; hundreds of community hospitals are threatened with closure this year. However, even as DCMH struggles with federal policy
issues and problems in the local economy, it has been rated as one of the 20 best community hospitals in the nation. Commissioner Mark Roeber cited concerns with federal GARDNER TO A3
City council invited to weigh in on Thompson Divide lease exchange BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Members of the Delta City Council were invited to ask questions about the proposed Thompson Divide lease exchange at their May 3 meeting. Brian Rinehart, a staff member from Rep. Scott Tipton’s office, provided information about the proposal and invited comments. “Given that Delta County could potentially receive new oil and gas leases in an exchange, we’re very keen to hear what the City of Delta and the other communities have to say,” Tipton’s office explained in a memo accompanying a discussion draft. Two oil/gas companies have proposed to voluntarily relinquish their existing leases in Thompson Divide in exchange for new leases of equal value elsewhere. One company is looking at Rio Blanco County; the other — SG Interests — proposes an area that lies within Delta County, with a significant portion in Mesa County and a small fraction in
Gunnison County. Council members asked several questions, which Rinehart answered, then were asked to “chew” on the proposal and submit comments either individually or as a corporate body. Council also heard a presentation from Lea Hart, district director for Delta County Libraries. As examples of how the library is serving the residents of Delta, Hart offered a number of statistics. For example, in 2015, the Delta Library saw 94,000 people come through the door. She mentioned downloadable resources, computer access and programs for tots, teens and adults. While the library district is doing more with less, it remains active in the community. “Libraries don’t die, they evolve,” she said. In other business, council set a hearing for annexation of the Neils Addition at 2125 and 2127 Pioneer Road. The city currently serves water, sewer and electricity to the property.
Robert Jurca was appointed to the Delta Housing Authority board. Jurca, a former city council member, was the city liaison to the DHA board. The city council recently contracted with Fedler Spraying to assist the parks department with weed abatement. The two-year contract is in the amount of $26,500 per year. Parks director Wilma Erven said that in 2015 the parks department struggled to control the weeds in a timely manner, particularly because the weather was rainier than usual. In addition, weed control was a top concern among community members surveyed last summer. During the budgeting process, the decision was made to put out a request for bids. The parks department will continue to spray and mow weeds along the highways. Also at a recent meeting, approval was given for two lots in the West Winds Planned Unit Development to be rezoned from B-2 to B-3.
Graduation is upon us
Ceriani, Lane win election
The 2015-16 school year is rapidly coming to a close, as is high school baseball, track and tennis competition. To avoid conflicts with state competition, graduation ceremonies for the four traditional high schools in Delta County have been moved to Sunday and Monday, May 15 and 16. Delta Opportunity School will recognize its graduates May 20, and Olathe High School will present diplomas May 22. Graduation ceremonies for Vision Charter Academy are May 26 (Delta campus) and May 27 (Surface Creek campus). A schedule of Delta County Joint School District #50 graduation and baccalaureate ceremonies can be found on page A9. Look for the Delta County Independent’s annual salute to graduates in next week’s edition of the DCI.
Jean Ceriani and David Lane have been elected to four-year terms on the board of directors of Delta County Memorial Hospital. Tallies for the May 3 election were: Jean Ceriani, 2,691 votes; Curtis McCrackin, 1,903 votes; and David Lane, 2,739 votes. The board’s next regular meeting is Monday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. Election official Aaron Clay will swear in the new directors and officers will be elected. At the same meeting, an appointment will be made to fill a board vacancy created by the resignation of Dr. Jeffrey Berkosky. The Delta County Ambulance District, organized as a special district similar to the hospital, met Tuesday afternoon to address four vacancies on that board. When no interested parties filed nominating petitions, that election was cancelled and Tom Huerkamp became the sole board member. Because that meeting occurred as the DCI was going to press, the outcome will be reported in next week’s edition.