NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
THE BOTTOM LINE
New businesses boost sales tax revenues in Paonia, Hotchkiss, B1
SPORTS
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS CMS climbing wall challenges climbers of all ages, abilities, C1
DELTA COUNTY
DOWN TO THE WIRE Paonia wins dual on final match of the competition, C3
DECEMBER 27, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 52
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Search for hotel developer picks up • Update financial projections as project assumptions The City of Delta has are defined; • Continue to assist in engaged the services of Better City to move the city for- preparing proposals and preward on the gateway project. sentations to taxing entities A name-brand hotel near the regarding public participaGunnison River is the center- tion; • Identify additional uses piece of the effort. Better City was the con- that will complement hotel and begin sultant that conducted an development economic assessment of Delta recruiting relevant developers County in 2014-2015 to iden- once hotel project is secured. • Update grant fundtify economic development opportunities that would put ing schedule for riverfront Delta County on the path improvements and coordinate toward prosperity in the wake with DURA and the City of of coal mine closures. The Delta on funding strategies gateway project emerged as a for grant applications. The nine-month contract major focus. The hotel is expected to amounts to $2,500 per month. reduce “leakage” to Montrose “A lot of what you’re paying and Grand Junction, while for is Better City’s background serving as a base camp for vis- and understanding of this itors exploring outdoor attrac- project,” city manager David tions and sampling food, beer Torgler commented at the Dec. Photo by Don Benjamin 19 city council meeting. and wine in the area. In describing its scope of In August, the city received additional grant funds to work, Better City reported it Delta County’s long-awaited snow arrived on Dec. 21 — the official first day of winter. The move forward with the gate- was previously able to secure brief storm was followed by more new powder on Christmas Day. Folks in Delta were way project, one of the top a letter of interest from a repsurprised to wake to about half an inch of snow on the ground. Snowfall was estimated projects identified in Better utable hotel developer to conat about three inches in Cedaredge. struct an $8 million riverfront City’s feasibility study. The city’s share of expenses will hotel. Use of the singular “develbe $2,250. For a total fee of $22,500, oper” in the proposed scope of work prompted comments Better City will: • Continue to work with a from council member Gerhotel developer, Delta Urban ald Roberts during considerRenewal Authority and land- ation of the professional serowner on pre-development vices agreement. He wanted efforts for the hotel at the assurance Better City would seek proposals from multiple riverfront gateway site; seats and be asked to con- sales tax already imposed by BY PAT SUNDERLAND • Work with property own- developers. “We shouldn’t be sider taxation on the sale of the city. Managing Editor ers, developers and DURA to dealing with a developer; we The ballot question must At the municipal election marijuana, even though sales secure control of the project should have an open market,” are currently prohibited. contain an estimate of the proscheduled for April 3, Delta site for other future develop- he said. ceeds that would be generated A petition is being circuvoters will fill two council ment; HOTEL DEVELOPER TO A3 lated that asks Delta City by the tax on marijuana. The Council to reconsider a 2013 city estimated those revenues ordinance prohibiting retail at $325,000 in excise tax and marijuana stores, marijuana $275,000 in sales tax. cultivation facilities, retail City manager David Torgler marijuana products manufac- explained the estimates are turing and marijuana testing based on sales in other comfacilities within the City of munities in Colorado, which Delta. were found to vary greatly. If a sufficient number of Sales tax revenues in Trinidad signatures is collected on the rang in at $6 million, he said, petition, the question will go but that city is easily reached to the city council. If council by residents of Texas, Oklahodeclines to repeal the marijua- ma and New Mexico. The best na ordinance, a special elec- estimates, he said, came from tion will be scheduled. the communities of Ridgway, City clerk Jolene Nelson Cortez and Gunnison. The April ballot will be consaid the special election could potentially take place in July. ducted by mail and will also If either the city council or the include candidates for District voters open the door to mari- C and an at-large position. Petijuana sales, the city wants to tions will be available from the immediately be able to collect city clerk Jan. 2, but the race taxes. The other alternative is already generating interest. is to wait and see if sales Kevin Carlson, Jay Stooksberare approved, then put the ry and Christi Prettyman have tax question before voters in indicated they plan to run for November, a move that could the at-large seat, and Nathan cost the city tax revenue. Clay has indicated interest in Although several coun- the District C position. Those cil members have previously seats are currently held by Ed Photo by Pat Sunderland expressed opposition to mari- Sisson, who is term limited, juana sales, they unanimously and Bill Raley, who is not seekapproved the wording of the ing re-election. Due to the lack of rain or snow, Devil’s Thumb Golf Club is taking steps to protect the Candidates must be U.S. ballot question. grass on the course. Wilma Erven, director of parks, recreation and golf for the city, With voter approval, an citizens, at least 18 years of reports that neighboring courses have closed to protect their grass. Devil’s Thumb has excise tax of 5 percent would age and must have resided in opted to confine golf carts to paths only. The next step, she said, will be to park the be placed on the sale of unpro- the City of Delta for 12 concarts and require golfers to walk the 18-hole course. As a last resort, the course may be cessed retail marijuana. Retail secutive months prior to elecclosed briefly to avoid the costly prospect of re-seeding the course. Golf course manager marijuana products would be tion. Additional information is Ken Brown reports the irrigation system has been winterized, but some spot watering is taxed at a rate of 2 percent, available from the city clerk at being done using rinsed-out weed sprayers. in addition to the municipal 874-7902.
BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A white Christmas
Marijuana tax, council seats slated for April ballot
Cart restrictions take effect
INDEX
Schools increase reliance on state
County unemployment drops
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Church ............................B6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-5 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A8 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B3-4 Surface Creek News ...C1-2 TV Listings ..................B3-4
Assessed valuation in Delta County Joint School District #50 dropped substantially in 2017, particularly in the portion of Gunnison County that lies in district boundaries, but the school district mill levy remains steady. The general fund mill levy has been frozen at 22.656 by the state for almost 10 years, according to Jim Ventrello, 50J business manager, and will generate an estimated $7,852,081. The school district would be looking at a revenue decline of $1.5 million, except for the fact that the state is required to make up the difference. State funding contributes more than $25 million to district operations annually, an amount that grows every year. “We’ve become more and more dependent on the state,” Ventrello said. Without state funding, the mill levy would be 110 mills for the calendar year 2018. The school board also certified an abatement levy of 0.113, to generate $39,163, and a bond redemption levy of 5.494 to generate $1,904,102.
The size of the county’s labor force has increased over the past year, but so has the number of people reported as employed. A report on Colorado’s employment situation released last week shows a total labor force of 14,841 in November 2017, up about a thousand from November 2016. Over the same period of time, the unemployment rate dropped from 4.2 percent to 3.6 percent. The neighboring counties of Mesa and Montrose report unemployment rates of 3.7 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively, for November 2017. The state’s unemployment rate is 2.9 percent, far below the national unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the largest private sector gain in the state has been in construction.