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DELTA COUNTY
MAY 2, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 18
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
State funding for 50J bumped by $1.9M BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
An additional $1.9 million in state funding is headed to Delta County Joint School District #50 for the next fiscal year. State legislators are infusing $150 million statewide to buy down the “negative factor,” the difference between the current funding level and that established by Amendment 23. School board members expected to vote on a new salary/benefits schedule for staff members at their April 26 meeting. Instead, superintendent Caryn Gibson asked for more time to determine how the one-time funding should be allocated. She had previously proposed a salary increase of 3.12 percent for teachers and a 4 percent increase for classified staff. For bus drivers, kitchen personnel and other classified staff, the increase is largely driven by mandated increases in the minimum wage. Transportation, technology, safety/security measures and building maintenance have also been cited as funding priorities for the district. Jim Ventrello, business manager of Delta County Joint School District #50, said per-pupil funding is currently $7,441.93. The Joint Budget Committee at first proposed an additional $100 million to
buy down the negative factor statewide, but because of pressure from teachers, decided to increase the buy down to $150 million. Delta County’s share of the one-time funding is $1,930,650, or an additional $454.46 per pupil. With the negative factor figured in, Delta County is still owed $3,504,793, Ventrello said. He also noted that because of declining property values, Delta County is becoming increasingly more dependent on state funding. Closure of the coal mines has also reduced revenue for the school district. More good news was shared at the school board meeting, as Lincoln Elementary and Cedaredge Elementary were recognized as Capturing Kids’ Hearts national showcase schools. The Capturing Kids Hearts program was implemented districtwide two years ago. The award recognizes and celebrates campuses that go the extra mile each day, building an environment where students and staff feel safe and connected. It’s based, in part, on site visits and data that shows the program has made a significant improvement in attendance, discipline, climate/culture, or academics. SCHOOL DISTRICT TO A3
Photo by Pat Sunderland
Beyond the classroom
Students at Grand Mesa Choice Academy are learning construction skills while building a shade structure at Tamarac Park on Bluff Street in Delta. The project is in partnership with the City of Delta parks and recreation department, which will add a concrete base to the project. The construction class is taught by Cole Baldwin, who explained students spend six-week blocks on core subjects, then two to three weeks, all day, every day, in a project-based class. The students also built a storage shed, individual projects and wooden picnic tables which were delivered to area high schools. Students listed the skills they’ve learned this year: how to read plans, how to use power tools, and how to work together. Tamarac Park, located at the foot of Garnet Mesa, also features a nine-hole disc golf course.
Municipalities, districts share revenue woes BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
At their quarterly meeting April 27, leaders from organizations across Delta County shared agency updates, financial status, current concerns and plans for the future. Orchard City hosted the leaders this quarter at Orchard City Town Hall. Robbie LeValley, Delta County administrator, coordinated the discussions. After introductions, the first comment made was about protecting students and school safety. Superintendent Caryn Gibson replied that, since Sandy Hook, the district has been concerned about locking all doors to access from outside, including front doors. At front doors there will be two sets of doors. The first will have coverage through a video camera and a buzzer which must be activated for anyone to get in. This precaution is to stop an active shooter. It can also detain an upset parent or other person before admission. The second set of doors will be locked, with a panic button available at the desks of secretaries. In reference to questions about school resource officers, Gibson said she is working with Undersheriff Mark Taylor and municipal police chiefs to find solutions to that
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A5 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-3 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A8 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B4-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
question. Providing a school resource officer, or officers, will be easier to bring about if each municipality can provide funds to match the school district commitment, she said. Coming up with matching funds will be challenging for municipalities that are seeing declines in revenue. Crawford Mayor Wanda Gofforth said Crawford has a 2.42 mill levy, which needs to be 7.42. Mayor Charles Stewart of Paonia said the town’s 2018 general fund budget of $581,000 was down from $774,000 for the 2014 general fund budget, noting Paonia has experienced a dramatic loss in mineral severance tax between 2008 and 2018. Delta City Manager David Torgler noted that Delta has no mill levy, has seen no increase in mineral severance tax, and is proceeding with the DURA gateway project as an opportunity to attract new sales tax revenues. He added that if sales taxes aren’t increasing, the only option is to reduce expenditures. Lea Hart, director of the library district, stated the district will be requesting a mill levy increase in the November 2018 election. The library district cannot continue reducing hours and decreasing the number of staff as the solution to decreasing revenues. In addition, money is needed
for building renovation. Laura Earley, president of the library board of trustees, stated that in the Delta Library there has been a 112 percent increase in user activity from 2007 through 2017, 108 percent increase in computer use, 24 percent decrease in staff, and 108 percent increase in the expenses of running the library. The elevator in the Delta building failed recently. If the elevator fails again it cannot be repaired because the parts are no longer manufactured. It would cost $120,000 to replace the elevator. County commissioner Don Suppes said the Eckert Cemetery District needs a mill levy increase, a statement echoed by Mayor Gofforth for the Crawford Cemetery District Commissioner Suppes reported that at a recent Colorado Counties, Inc. meeting with county commissioners from across the state, discussion centered around the Gallagher Amendment’s effect on the loss of value in the mill levy, which is particularly felt in rural areas. Suppes added that Gallagher causes the same decrease in value for special districts. Rural constituents may need to get together with urban libraries and special districts and work together to influence legislators, noting that rural and urban will either
Community prayer event planned
The community is invited to join area ministers at the 66th National Day of Prayer event at the Delta County Courthouse on Thursday, May 3 at noon. The theme of the 2018 observance will be “Pray for America – Unity,” based upon Ephesians 4:3, which challenges believers to mobilize unified public prayer for America, “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Last year there were over 30,000 prayer events spread across the nation on the National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. In 1988, the law was unanimously amended by both the House and the Senate and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on Thursday, May 5, 1988, designating the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer. Every president since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation.
swim or drown together. Earley said that most citizens don’t know what Gallagher is. A brochure explaining the Gallager Amendment is available from the county assessor; Torgler said there is also a good description on the assessor’s website under “Government and Taxes.”
At the September municipal quarterly, to be held in Cedaredge, the agenda will include an update on participants’ mill levies, update on school issues, intergovernmental agreements between the county and each municipality, housing issues and water conservation.
Olen Lund launches bid for state Senate BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Republican Olen Lund, a lifetime resident of the North Fork Valley and a former county commissioner, is challenging Democrat Kerry Donovan in Senate District 5. Lund is one of three Delta County residents seeking state office in November. Matt Soper is a candidate in House District 54; Mike Mason is the GOP candidate for House District 61. Soper notes that for the first time ever, a resident of Delta, a resident of Paonia and a resident of Cedaredge are running for the Colorado General Assembly in the same election. Lund entered the race just days before the Republican State Assembly in mid-April, and is in the initial stages of organizing his campaign. He has employed Square State
Strategy Group out of Denver to assist. He has also sought advice from Don Suppes, who lost the Senate race to Donovan four years ago. “Don lost the race by 1,100 votes, which is basically a small margin,” Lund said. “It will be a tough battle, but it’s not unwinnable.” Senate District 5 is an expansive district that covers seven Colorado counties, including Chaffee, Delta, Eagle, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Lake and Pitkin. Delta and Gunnison counties are largely agricultural; tourism, recreation and mining drive the economies in other areas of the district. Lund vows to use his experience in local government to fight for the district’s rural values at “a state capitol dominated by the DenverBoulder crowd.” OLEN LUND TO A3
Visitor services
Last chance
The GMUG forest headquarters is relocating visitor information services to Fort Uncompahgre, due to the upcoming remodel of the forest headquarters in S. Main Street in Delta. Permit, maps, literature and America the Beautiful passes will be available at the fort, along with information about trails, roads and campgrounds. The fort is open Monday-Saturday.
On Wednesday, May 9, the Delta County Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on the draft Master Plan. This meeting will be the final opportunity to provide input on the draft. The meeting will be held at Delta High School at 6 p.m. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, written comments should be submitted prior to May 9. Comments can be sent to planningcommission@delta county.com.