Delta County Independent, Aug. 23, 2017

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NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

REPAIRS SLATED

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Solution sought for sediment buildup at Paonia Reservoir, B1

SPORTS LADIES TEE IT UP

Hirschboecks bring energy, vitality to the Cedaredge area, C2

Devil’s Thumb Ladies’ Club champion crowned, B8

DELTA COUNTY

AUGUST 23, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 34

75¢

INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

City to help fund animal shelter BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

The Delta City Council has agreed to a monthly stipend of $1,400 to assure continued operation of the animal shelter in Delta. The monthly stipend is contained in an operating agreement with TAILS, The Animal Interest League and Sanctuary, which is assuming shelter operation from CAWS. Joe Messano and Brandy Ware, TAILS co-founders, attended a council work session last week to explain the funding request. Messano said TAILS, which is still in its formative stages, had lined up a veterinarian to provide services at a reduced

cost. That veterinarian is no longer on board, and until a replacement is found, TAILS will have to pay the full cost for spays, neuters, microchipping and other veterinary care. “We are actively seeking a veterinarian who will give us shelter pricing,” Messano assured council members. The city covers the cost of utilities and most repairs at the city-owned facility on W. 4th Street. In response to a concern about “abuse” of the utilities, community development director Glen Black said those expenses came in under budget in 2016. Messano and Ware said they are careful to turn out the lights when they ANIMAL SHELTER TO A3

Astronomy lesson

Photo by Pat Sunderland

A lesson in astronomy led off the school year for fourth and fifth graders at Garnet Mesa Elementary School, who took turns viewing the solar eclipse with special glasses on Monday. The younger students viewed the eclipse on NASA TV.

DURA hopes to avoid mediation BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

The one-year contract with the Denver law firm providing expertise for the Delta Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) was extended last week after lengthy debate and a 3-2 vote

by members of the Delta City Council. Extensions of 30 days are also being sought with the taxing districts that have yet to sign off on tax increment financing DURA needs to fund a riverfront hotel devel-

County counters DURA proposal BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

By state statute, the Delta Urban Renewal Authority has 120 days to reach agreement with taxing districts being asked to give up sales, property and/or lodging tax to help fund a hotel project described as a “catalyst” for economic development. With that deadline looming, the Delta County Commissioners held a special meeting the morning of Thursday, Aug. 17, to finalize a counterproposal that was presented to the DURA board Thursday night. The proposal was discussed in executive session, under the heading of negotiations, and no action was taken. The DURA board consists of the five city council members plus three representatives of the participating taxing entities and a mayoral appointee. Jill Jurca represents Delta County Joint School District #50, Don Suppes is Delta County’s representative, Bill Crank represents the smaller taxing districts, and Tom Huerkamp is the mayoral appointee. But because the county is a major contributor to the project, it’s asking for additional representation. The county’s proposal, which has gone through numerous revisions, asks that the mayoral appointee be an individual selected by the county, giving the county two repre-

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Agriculture ................... C6 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ...................B6-7 School Zone .................. A6 Sports .............................B8 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4

sentatives on the board. The county is willing to give up 100 percent of the property tax increment in the plan area, but carved out a smaller area for county sales tax to be considered for appropriation on an annual basis. In addition, the county has determined the lodging tax revenue can not be appropriated to DURA. Legal counsel has advised the county commissioners lodging tax can only be used for marketing and promotion, not for infrastructure or other purposes. City manager David Torgler discussed the next step at Morning Buzz, hosted by the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning. Although the city could go directly to mediation now, he said it’s hoping for a 30-day extension to continue negotiations with the county and other taxing entities not yet on board. “We really don’t want to go there,” Torgler said, “but if we don’t get the 30-day extension we have no choice but to activate mediation or let tax increment go. We’ve looked at the [financial] analysis. We really need everybody all in. If we don’t get everybody all in, we’re going to have to scale back what DURA might be able to contribute to a public-private partnership, which may make that hotel project no longer feasible.”

opment. Over the past year, the city, on behalf of DURA, has paid $74,000 to the firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farmer Schreck. The six-month extension, billed at $6,000 per month, will run another $36,000. Council members Gerald Roberts and Bill Raley objected to the extension. Carolynne White, an attorney with Brownstein Hyatt Farmer Schreck, has represented DURA in negotiations with the taxing entities that are being asked to sign off on tax increment financing that would pave the way for a mid-tier hotel near the intersection of Highway 92 and Highway 50. DURA would not build the hotel, but would purchase the property, make access improvements and

extend utilities to the site. Without funds to correct the deficiencies on the parcel of land in question, the cost of development would be “disproportionate” to the potential benefit, White explained previously. DURA was unable to secure intergovernmental agreements with all the taxing districts within the 120-day time frame allowed by state statute. The next step would be mediation, but city officials said Tuesday they want to avoid any ill will that could arise from mediation. At the Morning Buzz hosted by the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning, city manager David Torgler said DURA has reached agreement with the fire, library, hospital and ambu-

lance districts. Negotiations are under way with Delta County (see related story). DURA is at an impasse with the Tri-County Water District, the Delta County Mosquito Control District or Colorado River District. The hotel was one of three projects outlined in a study aimed at identifying economic opportunities for Delta County. In conjunction with riverfront improvements, it’s believed the hotel could capture some of the tourism dollars that are being lost to Montrose and Grand Junction. Torgler has repeatedly emphasized that the project can not proceed without buyin from all taxing entities. He’s also stated that a hotel developer is definitely interested in the project.

Short dedication planned for Ute Council Tree Friday PRESS RELEASE

The Delta County Historical Society, owner of the 215+ year old Ute Council Tree, has made plans to have the ailing Ute Council Tree cut down to a level about 10 to 12 feet above the ground, with further plans to create a memorial with the surviving trunk of the tree. With the loss of the last limb on the tree trunk on Aug. 1, tree experts, following an up-close examination, have determined that the tree is now at great risk of a catastrophic failure since the crown of the tree contains the only remaining branches. A good wind could stress the trunk, accelerating any failure possibility. The Delta County Historical Society has stated that the risk is now unacceptable, and for the safety of nearby property as well as the risk to people in the vicinity, the majority of the tree must be

removed. The Council Tree has great importance within the Ute culture, as the tree was known to have significance when it was part of a cottonwood grove prior to the eviction of the Utes from the area in 1881. The Ute Council Tree will be cut to a tall stump on Friday, August 25, 2017. Beginning in the early morning, tree removal experts, in partnership with Doughty Steel and Machine, Inc., will begin the process, expected to take seven to eight hours to complete. Doughty Steel will be assembling its big crane at the tree site and it will be used to lower cut branches in the tree crown to the ground, where they will be loaded onto a truck for removal to a city storage facility. While the public is invited to view the process, portions of G96 Lane and 1550 Road will be closed to traffic, for safety

reasons. Visitors to the site should expect a short walk to reach the area. Many Ute Indians are expected to attend the event, traveling from their tribal reservations for a final look at this great historic tree. Ute prayers and blessings are expected to take place before any limbs are cut from the tree. About 9:30 a.m., a short dedication program will take place as close as possible to the tree without interfering with the overall operation. Several local officials will speak as well as Ute representatives. The Delta County Historical Society will accept any donations to help defray the cost of cutting down the tree. Donations can be mailed to the Delta County Museum, 251 Meeker Street, Delta, CO 81416, or can be brought to the tree site on Friday.

Junior livestock sale totals $238,800

Student enrollment is up

A total of 193 market animals and pens and four cheese baskets were offered for sale by 4-H and FFA members at the 2017 Junior Market Livestock Sale, held Aug. 11 during the Delta County Fair in Hotchkiss. The sale, totaling $238,800 included $96,025 for 33 beef animals, averaging $2,909.85 per head; $3,990 for 13 chicken pens, averaging $306.92 per pen; $44,960.00 for 62 goats, averaging $702.58 per head; $22,100 for 23 lambs, averaging $960.87 per head; $650 for two rabbit pens, averaging $325 per pen; $68,550 for 57 swine, averaging $713.44 per head; and $975 for two pens of turkeys, averaging $487.50 per pen. Total sales for the cheese basket sale were $1,550 for four baskets, averaging $387.50 per basket. The Delta County 4-H and FFA members again thank all the supporters of the Junior Market Livestock Sale, including the volunteers, the Junior Market Livestock Sale Committee, sponsors and buyers.

First-day tallies indicate enrollment is up in Delta County Joint School District #50. On Tuesday morning, assistant superintendent Kurt Clay estimated enrollment will increase by 20 to 30 students across the district. Overall, enrollment is up in schools in Cedaredge, Paonia and Delta. Hotchkiss is showing a slight decrease. It’s difficult to pinpoint student enrollment after just one day of classes, he said. Previously enrolled students who don’t attend the first day of classes may show up a few days into the school year, or they may have moved to another school district. It takes a couple of weeks to sort it all out. The good news is the school district will be receiving more per-pupil funding from the state than anticipated in the 2017-18 budget.


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