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DELTA COUNTY
AUGUST 2, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 31
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
New organization formed to take over animal shelter BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A new animal welfare organization is pursuing 501(c)(3) status with the intent of assuming operation of the animal shelter in Delta. The Animal Interest League and Sanctuary, or TAILS, has been founded by two animal shelter employees, Joe Messano and Brandy Ware. Messano is president of the TAILS board of directors. An employee of Citizens for Animal Welfare and Shelter (CAWS), he previously worked with CLAWS of Grand Junction and RezDawg Rescue in New Mexico.
Co-founder Brandy Ware, shelter operations manager, is also a CAWS employee. Both are committed to the success of the animal shelter, and to the health and happiness of the dogs and cats in their care. “Hopefully people will be pleasantly surprised,” Messano said. He said TAILS will be looking for the same arrangement CAWS had with the City of Delta, which owns the animal shelter at 640 W. 4th Street in Delta. The city has leased the animal shelter to CAWS since 2013. That organization
Law enforcement classes suspended BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Photo by Pat Sunderland
Historic landmark damaged
A huge chunk of the Ute Council Tree broke off early Tuesday morning, raising questions about the future of the historic landmark in North Delta. When he heard a loud crash at about 7 a.m., neighboring homeowner Ken Kothe said there was no doubt in his mind what had occurred. A young locust tree proved to be the only thing standing between the falling limb and the Kothes’ home near the intersection of G-96 Lane and 1550 Road. City crews arrived on scene quickly and with the help of Delta Correctional Center inmates, began cleaning up the debris. According to a plaque still standing at the site, Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta met with white settlers under this cottonwood tree, which is believed to date to about 1802. Parks manager Tony Bohling said the Ute Indians and the Delta County Historical Society will be part of any discussion about the tree’s future.
Delta man accused of regional burglaries BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Jake Tuttle, 36, of Delta has been charged with second degree burglary and theft in connection with a burglary from a Delta home earlier this month. The burglary was reported on July 18, by elderly homeowners living in the 1100 block of Hastings Street. Investigation revealed someone had forced entry into the residence while the homeowners were gone and removed personal property in excess of $16,000 in value. On July 16, DPD officers were notified that the Jake
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A6 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Delta County Fair ..... B5-9 Deltarado Days ......... B10 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ............................ D3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries .................. A7-8 Sports .............................C7 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ..................C4-5
Delta County Sheriff ’s Office had recovered a stolen flatbed trailer. The trailer was loaded with a significant amount of personal property, including items identified as stolen during the July 8 burglary. Other items were identified as stolen during several other burglaries throughout Delta, Montrose and San Miguel counties. Each county has law enforcement personnel working these burglary and theft cases. A portion of the property recovered has yet to be identified as missing or stolen. Tuttle is being held in the Delta County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Tuttle
Law enforcement training at Delta-Montrose Technical College is on hold pending Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) review. To serve as a law enforcement officer in Colorado, an individual must successfully complete training through a POST-approved academy. POST withdrew that approval from Delta-Montrose Technical College (DMTC) several weeks ago over questions related to instructor qualifications. Kurt Clay, assistant superintendent of Delta County Joint School District #50, said efforts are being made to fix compliance issues as quickly as possible. “All local chiefs and sheriffs will be part of the solution,” Clay said. Four of those law enforcement officials serve on a law enforcement academy advisory council. The first step is to hire a new program director. William Carlson is currently serving as acting director. Michael Klouser, DMTC’s new director, said interviews will be conducted this Thursday. He added that a driving test was re-administered to the most recent graduating class, and all cadets passed with flying colors. He said DMTC and the advisory council are hopeful a class can be offered later this fall. DPD Chief Luke Fedler views the academy as “vitally important” to his department’s recruitment efforts. “If we didn’t have the law enforcement academy, it would be extremely difficult to recruit officers for this area,” he said. He estimates 90 percent of the Delta Police Department’s sworn officers are graduates of the law enforcement academy at DMTC. He counts himself among them. The same holds true for the sheriff ’s office. “A large percentage of the certified personnel here at the sheriff ’s
office have graduated from DMTC,” Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee said. “The academy has always turned out quality graduates. We’ve been very pleased with the program.” The academy has also provided an opportunity for certified officers to pick up extra income as instructional staff. A major step in reinstating POST certification is ensuring those staff members are qualified to teach in their specialized skill area. As a result, all instructors have been asked to re-apply for instructional positions. The sheriff, who teaches cadets how to handle civil disputes, is polishing up his résumé, as well.
recently decided to reduce its overhead by transitioning to a volunteer-based organization whose primary mission is spay/neuter vaccination programs and fostering and adoption of dogs and cats. Fearing the shelter might close, Messano and Ware decided to create a new nonprofit. To keep the shelter open, they have agreed to significant salary cuts. TAILS intends to create a self-sustaining nonprofit sanctuary for dogs and cats through adoptions, boarding (facility and in home), fundraising grants and community outreach. At a work session Tuesday night, the Delta City Council was slated to discuss the proposal from TAILS, which has the support of CAWS. In a letter addressed to the City of Delta, CAWS board members said, “We hope you will consider the proposal from TAILS and continue to offer the same terms to them with regard to the waiver of rent and utilities payments.” As proposed, the shelter will be open 9 a.m. to noon and 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. On Saturdays, staff and volunteers will make animals available for adoption at partner locations including PetSmart, Petco, Tractor Supply and others on a rotating basis. CAWS’ letter of support suggested some amendments to TAILS’ proposal, but also promised financial support during the transition, if council approves the change.
Ag emerges as top planning issue BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
The first round of public input on the county master plan rewrite has found that agriculture is a top issue among all demographics and across all areas of the county. Also, according to Erica Weeks of planning consultancy RPI, “People like not having zoning.” She delivered results to members of the county planning commission on July 26. Planners with RPI of Durango will compile results from the round of “visioning workshops” and public input offered through a planning website. A report will begin to be drafted on the comments, said Gabe Preston, principal of RPI during a video conference with county planning officials. Though Preston said public participation has been good, county planning commission members noted that fewer than 600 county residents out of a population of some 30,000 have made comments.
Also noted was the finding that the North Fork Valley appears to be overrepresented in the tallies, while comments from the other county areas are underrepresented. Some suggested also that more effort needs to be made to get younger age groups to participate. Elyse Casselberry, county development director, asked members of the planning commission and area planning committees to help gather more comments for a second round of public input. Setting up tables or booths at public gatherings, events, schools and other sites was suggested. The master plan rewrite will begin moving onto the second phase, which is goal setting. The rewrite is intended to eventually create a “road map” for eventually implementing master plan prescriptions by county ordinance. Details of the plan process and findings are available on the county website: delta county.com.
School board election set for Nov. 7
Fort named interpretive center
Three directors will be elected to the Delta County School Board in November. Beginning Aug. 7, interested candidates may obtain nomination petitions and notice forms from the Delta County clerk and recorder’s office in the county courthouse. Candidates must reside in Director District 1 (City of Delta and west), District IV (Hotchkiss area, north and east of Cedaredge) and District V (Paonia/Crawford area). A map of the director districts is available at the county clerk’s office or at the school district office in Read. To be qualified, a candidate must have been a registered elector and a resident of the school district for at least 12 consecutive months before the election. Individuals must present completed nomination petitions and written notice of intention to be a candidate no later than Sept. 1. The Director District IV seat is held by Tammy Smith, who is term limited. Ron Germann, Director District 1, and Jan Tuin, Director District V, are eligible to run for re-election.
The National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management have entered into a partnership with the City of Delta and the Interpretive Association of Western Colorado (IAWC) to establish an interpretive center at Fort Uncompahgre highlighting the Old Spanish Trail, a national historic trail. Chris Miller, (IAWC) executive director, is working on plans to dedicate the interpretive center at 440 N. Palmer Street, Delta, during the first annual Colorado Old Spanish Trail Days Sept. 16. Fort Uncompahgre was the only trading post located along the entire Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles.