SPORTS CHASING TOP 18
Athletes make one last bid for this weekend’s state competition, B5-8
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
Class of 2017
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SURFACE CREEK NEWS
GRADUATION 2017
RODEO ACTION
Delta County, Olathe schools award diplomas Sunday, Inside
DELTA COUNTY
Cedaredge hosts Little Britches rodeo, street dance, C1-2 MAY 17, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 20
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Master plan process begins with dreaming BY KAMI COLLINS Staff Writer
Delta County has jumped into the master planning process with the first of five community meetings aimed at discovering what is important to residents, and how and where we want to grow in the years to come. Over 75 people crowded into the Paonia Town Hall on Monday night to participate in a visioning and dreaming exercise, answering questions that will help the consulting team craft a master plan that reflects the values and desires of Delta County residents. Gabe Preston with RPI Consulting led the visioning process. RPI is based in Durango, and is the firm selected to lead the county in the master plan update process. The firm specializes in
helping small, rural communities in projects like this. An entire team will be working with Delta County throughout this process, including a land use code expert who will provide an assessment of existing regulations and how they relate to the master plan. The expert will provide some suggestions on how the master plan can be implemented as land use code. Once complete, the master plan will provide an overall vision for the county and will outline how things like housing, business/industry, infrastructure and transportation support and complement the economy, health and welfare, environment and quality of life. “It’s a big picture plan where the endgame is to develop overall broad policies that guide us in land use poli-
School district to move headquarters BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Delta County Joint School District #50 is planning to move its headquarters from Read to the former Bank of Colorado building at the corner of 4th & Palmer in Delta. The school board voted 4-1 to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with the bank contingent upon a building inspection. The nay vote was cast by school board president Tammy Smith, who said she felt the school board had not fully explored other options — including the nearly-empty Energy Tech building in Paonia. Renovation of the exist-
cies,” Preston explained. “We want to solidify the vision for Delta County in such a way that it has some durability, so that the day issues that come up can be reviewed in context in this broader vision.” The county has not updated its master plan since 1996. “This is a big deal,” Preston said. “We really want to try to ferret out the values of the community. This is how we’re going to begin to develop the vision for the future, what we care about and what we’re concerned about.” To get to those answers, Preston led the group in several exercises. In small groups, citizens began by sharing their personal stories, describing what they love about living here and what is most important to them, the characteristics that describe the community, their concerns and their hopes for the community. Those stories were then shared with the larger group to see if there were broad commonalities and concerns among residents. Another exercise asked each group to create an issue of the Delta County Independent to publish on May 23, 2032, 15 years in the future, after the master plan has been adopted and has guided some of the future growth and development and the outcomes that
could result. In Paonia, meeting attendees shared many of the same commonalities and concerns.
The group voiced concern about oil and gas development in the North Fork, and MASTER PLAN TO A3
Photo by Kami Collins
Groups were asked to envision what kinds of stories the newspaper will run in the year 2032, after this master plan has been successfully implemented and the county has had time to realize the fruits of its labor. County administrator Robbie LeValley looks on as a group dreamed up newspaper headlines. A few of the headlines that were shared included “Bees make a comeback”; “North Fork coal mine is in full production – 0% carbon emissions”; “Paonia installs traffic light”; “Doc Vincent vet hospital breaks ground”; “Delta County – still no building codes”; “North Fork secedes from Delta County”; and “Transportation hub opens in Paonia.”
ing headquarters was one of the options examined by the school district, but the cost of replacing outdated electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems far outweighed the purchase and renovation of the building in Delta. School district business manager Jim Ventrello said the purchase price of $350,000 was reduced to $185,000 in exchange for marketing concessions. The Bank of Colorado will be permitted to install an ATM at the old Chaco building purchased by Delta2016 and is owned by a local that would go directly in to the BY HANK LOHMEYER Montrose Technical College. county general fund. Accordbank. Staff Writer No fee will be charged for 10 The commissioners have ing to the county assessor’s The county commissioners years. The building will house the ENGAGE Innovation on Monday approved an “incen- offered the company an incen- office, that amount was about HEADQUARTERS TO A3 tive agreement” with hopes it tive of waiving annual prop- $2,562 in 2016. County administrator Robwill help bring a manufactur- erty taxes owed to county goving company to Delta County ernment on the building for bie LeValley said the company and fill an empty industrial a period not to exceed five is considering relocation. She years. To earn and maintain said there is no set time frame building. MITI manufacturing, Co., the waiver, the company will for the company to move. Commissioner Don Supwhich describes itself as a have to occupy the building, manufacturer of wheel locks increase its employment base pes said, “I am always leery and portable decontamination here by five full-time workers of these types of agreements. “Although, there is no need equipment, is currently locat- within three years, and main- You run the risk of setting a for an election, members are ed in Clifton. The company tain that level of employment bad precedent.” He noted the need for jobs. still encouraged to attend approached the county several for the next two years. Commission Chair Doug The buildings and property our annual meeting. As co-op months ago about the possibilmembers, this is a wonderful ity of tax incentives if it were the company is interested in Atchley noted the building are located partly within the is a unique property that is opportunity to meet your co- to move its operations here. The company is interested City of Delta and partly out- suitable for numerous uses. op employees and get to know your board members. We’ll in the building formerly occu- side of it in the county, com- Industrial Systems Incorpoprovide a review of our activi- pied by Industrial Systems missioners said. The City of rated did heavy manufacturing and fabrication work for ties and accomplishments Incorporated (ISI) at 5513 Delta has no property tax. The property tax waiver mines, and for other enerfrom the past year. Every- Highway 348. According to one is invited to join us as the Delta County treasurer’s offered by the county is for gy, industrial, and natural we celebrate another success- office, the building emerged only the portion of property resources projects throughout ful year,” said Jasen Bronec, from foreclosure in March taxes paid by the company the region. DMEA CEO. The annual meeting will take place Thursday, June 15, at Hotchkiss High School. The fun begins at 4:30 p.m. when the doors open for registration and activities. Co-op employees will serve up a free grilled dinner of Hotchkiss Meats bratwursts and cap off the meal with cupcakes from Sweet Cheeks Cakery. Dinner will be served from 5 to 6:30 Photo by Hank Lohmeyer p.m. The county hopes that incentives it has offered will attract a Clifton manufacturing company “We’re focusing on making to relocate to Delta County in the former ISI industrial facility on Highway 348. DMEA ELECTION TO A3
County offers incentive for new business, jobs
DMEA board election called off PRESS RELEASE
Three Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) members completed the necessary steps to be declared official candidates for the coop’s 2017 election. Each candidate is running unopposed in his respective district. As a result, DMEA’s board of directors unanimously voted to cancel the 2017 election in accordance with the co-op’s bylaws. The official candidates Damon Lockhart, District 6; Mark Eckhart, District 7; and John Gavan, North Region. The above candidates shall be declared elected at DMEA’s annual meeting of members on Thursday, June 15. In addition, DMEA will not host its traditional candidate forums. Members will receive a mailing this month with the candidates’ statements concerning their objectives for joining the board and official notice of the election cancellation.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health & Fitness .........C7-8 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A5 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-6 TV Listings ..................C3-4
Gov plans Delta stop
Traffic accident kills one
Free dumping
Delta-Montrose Technical College is excited to be selected as one of the stops on Governor Hickenlooper’s 2017 bill signing tour. The governor will be at the college on Saturday, May 20, at approximately 5:30 p.m. Governor Hickenlooper will be signing HP17-1258, which will rename DeltaMontrose Technical College as Technical College of the Rockies. The name change reflects a renewed focus by the college to provide quality career and technical education throughout its six-county service area in Delta, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Hinsdale and Gunnison counties.
A fatal accident was reported near the intersection of Ward Creek Road and R Road at approximately 1:46 a.m. May 13. Kandy Jackson, a 47-year-old male of Cedaredge, died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. Alcohol and excessive speed are suspected. The Colorado State Patrol reports that Jackson was driving a 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 southbound on Ward Creek Road. As he approached R Road, his pickup spun out of control and traveled down an embankment at the Y intersection. The vehicle rolled 1.5 times to final rest. During the roll sequence the driver was ejected and suffered fatal injuries. The crash was not discovered until about 6:30 a.m.
Tipping fees will be waived at the Adobe Buttes Landfill for spring cleanup day Saturday, May 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weather permitting, residents of Delta County will be permitted to drop off brush, appliances, furniture and tires for free. No electronics or household trash will be accepted. Don’t forget to secure your load!