NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
PLAYING WITH FIRE Area firefighters benefit from mobile training unit, B1
SPORTS
A SALUTE TO HEROES Community joins together to celebrate veterans, EMS, C1
DELTA COUNTY
BOYS OF SUMMER
DHS baseball team hones skills during summer competition, B6 JULY 6, 2016 VOL. 133, NO. 27
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Controversial GOP chair resigns BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Linda Sorenson has resigned as chair of the Delta County Republican Central Committee, but her exit raised more questions from local party members trying to get a handle on her controversial Facebook posts. Sorenson met with the party’s accountability committee June 30 to discuss the circumstances surrounding a Facebook “like” that was strongly criticized locally and nationally as racist. The committee also explored allegations that Sorenson had made statements concerning local and state political candidates that were less than objective, in violation of the committee’s bylaws. After the meeting, Sorenson issued a statement to the media: “After meeting with the accountability committee this evening, Sheriff McKee recommended I resign. “I resign my position of Delta County chairman as of 7:45 p.m. June 30, 2016.” That short statement prompted another meeting of the accountability committee, to clarify that McKee did not recommend she resign. After Sorenson offered to resign,
committee members report, “Sheriff McKee answered that he would support her decision to resign and then made it clear that he was not speaking for the accountability committee. “At that point Mrs. Sorenson stated that she would resign and left the meeting without giving the rest of the committee an opportunity to comment. At no time did any member of the accountability committee (including Sheriff McKee) suggest or recommend that Mrs. Sorenson resign her chair position. We, the Delta County Republican accountability committee, had neither the charge, nor the authority to ask for, nor recommend resignation to anyone. “Today, July 2, 2016, after having time to consider Mrs. Sorenson’s resignation, we the Delta County Republican accountability committee agree with and support Mrs. Sorenson’s decision to resign from the Delta Republican chair position.” Sorenson’s replacement was expected to be one of several items on the agenda for the July 5 meeting of the Delta County Republican Central Committee, which meets monthly. A standing vacancy committee is already in place.
Silver jubilee
Photos by Pat Sunderland
The newly-constructed peninsula at Confluence Park (above) was opened briefly for a celebration of the park’s 25th anniversary last Saturday. To protect the new grass, which is still getting established, the peninsula was closed for the 4th of July fireworks, but will soon open again permanently, along with fitness stations located along the red rock trail around the lake. The peninsula was dedicated during a celebration of the “vision” that began with sewer lagoons and a dilapidated Holly Sugar plant, and grew to encompass the 265-acre park complex, as well as Fort Uncompahgre, Horse Country Arena and Bill Heddles Recreation Center. Steve Schrock (pictured), the city manager at the time, and other speakers credited city and community support for the project, and spoke of the need for continued support as the “vision” turns to a river corridor project from Confluence Park east along the Gunnison River. “What we’re talking about starts out just like this,” said Ron Austin, Delta City Council. The July 2 celebration included a cookout, bike rodeo, climbing wall, archery, golf and other outdoor activities.
County considers Uncompahgre RMP BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
On June 27, the Board of County Commissioners began the process of developing comments on the BLM’s Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Uncompahgre Planning Area. The Draft RMP, once finalized, will define land use for 675,800 surface acres of local BLM managed public lands for at least the next 20 years. Public comment on the draft is being taken until Sept. 1. The county commissioners discussed parts of the 2,000page plan with the county’s local government designee for oil and gas. The discussion touched on a sub-alternative of the Draft RMP dealing with minerals exploration and development in the drainages of the North Fork of the Gunnison and Smith Fork rivers. Alternative B1 was written and submitted to BLM by private interests in the North Fork Valley that are opposed to energy exploration and development. It was submitted to the BLM from outside the agency’s internal process and included by BLM in its Draft RMP. The North Fork Alternative proposes to close 75 percent of the 139,540-acre North Fork area to leasing for oil and gas exploration. By contrast, the BLM’s own preferred alternative would close only 2.2 percent of acres in the same
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A6 Agriculture .....................C6 Back Page..................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ............................ D3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports .............................B6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
area. The county commissioners have expressed ongoing unhappiness with BLM’s treatment of the county’s “cooperating agency” status in consultations on land use decisions. As elected representatives, commissioners believe their elective role is being eclipsed by special considerations the BLM is giving to “non-government organizations.” Conversely, the BLM with its Draft RMP has recommended against a group of some 40 to 60 local stakeholders including river users,
ranchers, water rights holders, property owners, elected officials, farmers and others. Several members of that local stakeholder group were at the Delta unveiling of the Draft RMP last week during an open house at the Delta Center. They recalled how six years ago the group voted unanimously (except for a sole representative of an environmental coalition) against designating any local streams as “wild and scenic.” The BLM’s Draft RMP now proposes to designate 16 local stream segments in the Uncompahgre Planning Area as suitable for
wild and/or scenic designation, including some in the Delta County watershed. The BLM’s Draft RMP deals only partially with another of the Delta County Commissioners’ issues: the Camel Back and Adobe Badlands wilderness study areas (WSA). Last year, the commissioners wrote to U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton saying the WSA designation for both areas 36 years ago “was never intended to be permanent,” adding that if the area is not suitable as wilderness, then it should revert back to [standard] public lands management. They
asked Tipton for legislation to withdraw the areas from WSA status. Adobe Badlands has sat idle with its WSA use restrictions for 36 years. In 2011, the 10,425-acre area added cost and political controversy to a power line upgrade project north of Delta. The handsoff status provided by Adobe Badlands’ WSA designation, which dictated that the power line encroach on Blake Field airspace, created a flight safety hazard and resulted in Federal Aviation Administration involvement. The UNCOMPAHGRE TO A3
Dominguez-Escalante RMP released The Bureau of Land Management has released a plan guiding management in the 210,000-acre Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, including the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. Congress, based on broad local support, designated these public lands as a National Conservation Area in 2009 for their unique geologic, cultural and ecological resources in the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The plan provides longterm management goals for the area’s cultural and historic sites along with ecological, geological and paleontological
resources spanning 600 million years. The NCA, which is located in Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties, provides hiking, horseback riding and wilderness recreation opportunities. Approximately 137,000 recreational visitors contribute $2.1 million to the surrounding communities annually. “The hard work and involvement of a very active advisory council; the state of Colorado; local governments in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties; and many interested private citizens have helped us understand the communities’ needs for this important piece of public land,” said Col-
lin Ewing, manager of the Dominguez-Escalante NCA. “We believe the plan strikes the right balance in providing outstanding recreation opportunities, protecting sensitive resources and continuing historical uses in the NCA.” Representatives from the local communities contributed time and resources toward developing the proposed Resource Management Plan. In addition to public comments and participation in meetings during both the scoping and draft stages of the plan, the DominguezEscalante Advisory Council met with the BLM and the public 35 times to delve into
how to best manage this area for its special resources. The proposed RMP is based largely on the preferred alternative in the Draft RMP and Environmental Impact Statement released for public comment in 2013. The BLM finalized the plan with the help of public comments as well as close coordination with cooperating agencies and the advisory council. Under the proposed RMP, seven areas would be managed as recreation management areas where specific activities such as motorized and non-motorized trail use, camping, big game hunting, DOMINGUEZ- ESCALANTE TO A3
Roeber ekes out primary win
Deltarado Days
In Delta County, voter turnout topped just 34 percent for the June 28 primary election. In the only local contest, Republican commissioner candidate Mark Roeber edged out Roger Bentley 1,809 to 1,627. Roeber will face Democratic challenger Jere Lowe for the District 3 seat in November’s general election. A third candidate, Mark Eckhart, is awaiting verification of his petition as an unaffiliated candidate. Don Suppes (R) and Travis Mills (D) will face off for the District 2 commissioner seat. In other GOP races, Delta County aligned itself with voters statewide in selecting Darryl Glenn to oppose Michael Bennet in the U.S. Senate race, Scott Tipton to face Gail Schwartz for U.S. Representative, District 3, and Joyce Rankin to oppose Christine Pacheco-Koveleski for the State Board of Education, District 3.
The 81st annual Deltarado Days will take place July 14-17. The celebration kicks off with the farmer rancher luncheon Thursday at noon at the Delta Sales Yard. That night is the Altrusans’ kickoff dinner, beer garden, an opportunity to meet the rodeo clown and a movie in Cleland Park. Friday’s activities move downtown, for a kids’ triathlon, specials from downtown merchants and a street dance. Saturday will be packed full of fun, with a 5k run, parade, car show, vendor village and kids’ games. At Roundup Club, mud volleyball and a horseshoe tournament will take place during the day. To register for any of the events, call the chamber at 874-8616. The rodeo returns at 7 p.m., followed by a concert by Buckstein. The celebration concludes Sunday with worship and a fundraising lunch in Cleland Park.