NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
‘TIS THE SEASON
Paonia’s holiday festivities span two weekends, B1
SPORTS
SEW IN LOVE
SEASON OPENER
Sewing group makes impact in the community and abroad, C1
High school wrestlers gear up for the annual Maverick Duals, B6
DELTA COUNTY
NOVEMBER 29, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 48
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
DURA plan poised for implementation BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
After addressing questions about blight, eminent domain and resources for structural improvements, the Delta City Council officially adopted the Delta Urban Renewal Authority plan. By state law, an urban renewal authority can only engage in projects designed to improve slum and blight conditions. That means the Delta Urban Renewal Authority was required to conduct a survey, and to determine that, within a broad geographic area, there were enough qualifying blight
conditions to warrant a plan to address those conditions. That step raised concern among some property owners within the plan boundaries who felt the “blight” designation was not justified and could adversely impact property values. During a public hearing conducted by the Delta City Council Nov. 21, one business owner said written notice sent to all property owners within the project area caught her totally by surprise. Brenda Holland, who owns commercial property in the 100 block of Grand, said she and neighboring owners have made
sizable investments in their properties, and they object to the term “blight.” A homeowner on E. 3rd Street said she has spent the last year trying to improve her house, and she expressed concern the city would try to take it away through eminent domain.
A couple of other property owners simply wanted clarification on whether DURA would provide resources to help them address deficiencies in their commercial and residential properties. “Yes, the DURA plan makes that possible ... but not right away,” said special counsel
Carolynne White, who offered a brief overview of urban renewal authorities for those who have not been following the year-long undertaking by the city. She explained that the goal of an urban renewal authority is to “encourage and catalyze DURA PLAN TO A3
Vandals strike cemetery twice BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
On the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 21, 32 headstones in the Delta City Cemetery on 3rd Street were knocked over. Tony Bohling, City of Delta parks supervisor, says the vandalism was discovered by a citizen walking through the cemetery around 4:30 p.m. City crews were on site until 3 p.m., so Bohling surmises the incident took place between 3 and 4:30 p.m. The Delta Police Department was immediately notified, and on Wednesday a monument company was contacted and asked to provide an estimate to reset and repair the headstones. Bohling said the estimate came in at $9,500. Two stones were
damaged and will have to be repaired. On Sunday, Nov. 26, the same citizen notified city staff that 13 more headstones have been knocked over. Again, the police department was contacted. One damaged stone will have to be repaired, but Bohling has not obtained an estimate on that cost. The stones that were knocked over but not damaged were simply put back in place. The damaged stones were removed until they can be repaired. The Delta Police Department is asking anyone with information pertaining to this incident to call the police department at 874-7676 or Crimestoppers, 874-8810.
Photo by Randy Sunderland
Santa has arrived!
Natalie Blake, 3, is hoping Santa will leave her a horse this Christmas. She was first in line to welcome Santa to the lobby of Wells Fargo Bank following the Parade of Lights in downtown Delta Saturday. Santa and Mrs. Claus were the grand finalé, riding in style in an antique fire truck provided by the Delta Fire Department. Santa returns Saturday, Dec. 9, for the pancake breakfast sponsored annually by the Kiwanis Club of Delta. Breakfast with Santa runs from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Bill Heddles Recreation Center.
County weighs in on preliminary Master Plan BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
Delta County community members turned out at three meetings held in mid-November to provide their views on six key themes that will be part of the updated Delta County Master Plan. County staff, consultant RPI, and the Delta County Planning Commission held visioning discussions from May through June with residents across the county to define goals for the updated Master Plan. The key themes that emerged from these visioning discussions are: agricultural land and business; economic development; land use and development; public infrastructure, services and assets; water resources; and energy development. At the community meetings in mid-November six stations, one for each of the key themes, were set up around the meeting room. Arriving community members were encouraged to visit each of the six stations. They were given pencils to write their comments and gummed circles to
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Agriculture ................... B5 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A5 Sports .............................B6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
paste on a map at each station to indicate matters of specific concern to them. When the meeting was called to order Elyse Casselberry, the county’s community and economic development director, explained the next step. Each community member was asked to participate in a small group discussion on two of the key themes. Thirty minutes was provided for each discussion. Several members of the planning commission were present and joined the discussions. County administrator Robbie LeValley stopped to listen a short time at all of the tables. Facilitators at the six tables were Gabe Preston and Erica Weeks from RPI, LaDonna Gunn, Elaine Brett, Alex Johnson and Casselberry. At the end of the two 30minute discussions, Casselberry asked facilitators to give a brief summary of ideas discussed on each key theme. Energy Development: The county should be energy independent; develop a plan and regulations to ensure clean air and water; keep cur-
rent with new energy developments; seek a commercial solar grid; form energy partnerships; keep energy jobs in the county. Public Infrastructure, Services and Assets: Provide good, viable public transportation, buses and trains; improve shoulders and bike paths around the cities; better connectivity with the taxing transit authority; electric charging station; how to navigate and inform people better about what is available currently; public safety; ambulance service and medical facilities in all towns; county recreation – recreation is a big piece of the economy; river access; inventory access to public lands; use irrigation ditch trails where it makes sense. Water Resources: County is limited in authority to regulate and manage water; county needs to be leader in keeping current water rights; way to make sure county has all information about water rights, quality and quantity; better education around water rights and management for developers, realtors, cities;
Remember Pearl Harbor
improve existing storage; new storage; water development; water drought management; equitable water rates. Land Use and Development: Strategy for future, bring forward what worked in past; agricultural work in future; more value added agriculture than we have today; zoning — different viewpoints; zoning tricky — what uses allow winners and losers, mission creep — evaluate and adapt over time; how to work area by area to preserve and protect agriculture needs; how to identify higher impact uses and determine where it should go; review developments carefully. Economic Development: Homogeneous uses in development of large sections of land; support businesses — strengthen what we already have; other industries — processing, flash frozen food; need to coordinate, develop marketing strategy for new businesses; identify attractive industries; support having infrastructure needed for new industries in place before they arrive. Agricultural Land and
Members of Lee Marts Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliary and American Legion Post #65 invite all members of the community, especially World War II veterans, to attend a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the bombing attack on Pearl Harbor that launched the United States into World War II. At 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the boat dock on the bank of the Gunnison River in Confluence Park, VFW, Auxiliary and Legion members will remember the 75th anniversary of “the day that will live in Infamy” with words and actions. The surprise bombing of the United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941 initiated the United States involvement in World War II. Sixteen million American citizens were to serve their country in the following four years, and the over 2,500 casualties of that bombing attack were to be joined by thousands more of their comrades. For additional information, contact Corky Ware, post commander, at 872-3327 or Della Ware, Auxiliary president, at 312-5758.
Business: Value agriculture, protect what we have; need clarity, understanding about where some agriculture should go; don’t limit agriculture from what it needs to do to stay profitable; support businesses that support agriculture. The information received from the community will be used by staff, the consultant and the county planning commission during the next phase of the Master Plan update. “Following the meetings the draft goals will be uploaded to the project website,” Casselberry said, “and an online participation option will be available to community members who were unable to participate in the meetings.” Interested community members can sign up to receive notification of this option on the project’s website, www.deltacountyplan. com. More information can also be obtained by contacting Kelly Yeager, contract planner, at 970-874-2110, or Elyse Casselberry, county community and economic development director, at 970-874-2105.
Tipton staff to visit Delta
A member of Congressman Scott Tipton’s staff will hold office hours in Delta, Montrose, Ouray and Garfield counties Dec. 4-6. During these mobile office hours, Tipton’s staff will assist constituents with issues regarding Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Internal Revenue Service, as well as acquiring American flags flown over the U.S. Capitol. Appointments are not necessary. Brian Meinhart, regional director, will be in Room 122 of the Delta County Courthouse Monday, Dec. 4, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and at the Elks Civic Building, 107 S. Cascade Avenue in Montrose on Tuesday, Dec. 5, from 11:30 to 1:30.