NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
EVERY DROP COUNTS Municipalities consider water conservation measures, B1
SPORTS
NEW ERA DAWNS
CHSAA AWARDS
Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center opens this weekend, C1
Local students honored for academic, athletic excellence, B5-6
DELTA COUNTY
JUNE 13, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 24
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Fireworks display, sales will be allowed in Delta BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
Delta Volunteer Fire Department (DVFD) will be holding its annual fireworks show at Confluence Park on Wednesday, July 4, having received approval from Delta City Council at the council’s June 5 meeting. The DVFD has 28 volunteers and expects to have eight to 10 firefighters from Cedaredge join them this year. They have contingency plans to pull firefighters from the fireworks display to respond to emergencies in the city should such occur. Delta Police Chief Luke Fedler said there were two or three fires in the city on July 4, 2017. The police department will have extra people on duty
July 4 to respond to emergencies and do damage control. Fedler added his department has huge concerns about fireworks this year because it is an especially dry year. The council considered a notification from the Delta Volunteer Fire Department regarding Stage 1 fire restrictions in and around Delta County. Stage l fire restrictions have been adopted by Delta County, Montrose County, Mesa County, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. The Stage 1 fire restrictions were adopted due to extreme fire conditions resulting from extended hot, dry and windy weather in the area. The DVFD recommended
that Delta prohibit the sale of fireworks since fireworks are not allowed during Stage 1 fire restrictions. Council considered a resolution imposing a ban on the sale, exchange, barter or trade of fireworks and issuance of temporary permits in the City of Delta. Councilmember Christopher Ryan moved the council not approve the resolution, but look at a way to provide safety education. Councilmember Kevin Carlson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Ryan noted the inconsistency in approving the fire department’s permit for the annual fireworks show, then banning fireworks stand permits.
Medical students from CU, CSU get a taste of rural life BY KAYLEE DUNHAM Contributing Writer
During the week of June 4-8, 17 students from the University of Colorado and Colorado State University toured Delta County as part of the University of Colorado’s Interdisciplinary Rural Immersion Program. Since 2005 the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in conjunction with the Rural Track program and Colorado Area Health Education Center, has been providing this experience to students who are interested in becoming medical professionals in rural areas. The program allows students the opportunity to learn about and investigate all aspects of small town personal, professional and community life. On Monday, June 4, students met at the Delta County Memorial Hospital to attend
an orientation and meet a few of the leaders in the community. Stacey Voigt, executive director of Delta County Economic Development, introduced community leaders to explain how Delta County is unique. Tom Huerkamp explained how governmental bodies in Delta County and other related entities work collaboratively. Larry Traubel shared with the students the area’s rich agricultural history and the produce that is famous and unique to our area including Olathe Sweet® Sweet Corn and Palisade peaches. Caryn Gibson and Kurt Clay spoke about the public education in the area and how many of the high school students are excelling in Advanced Placement classes and college courses.
Photo by Kaylee Dunham
Lorre Cutts and Ryan Grube explain the difficulties they face when working while in flight. To avoid the pilot’s night vision, nurses have to use green lights after dark. This can make it difficult for them to tell if the patient is green because they are still sick or if the light is making their skin look green. Cutts said that being a flight nurse means that they must learn how to improvise, adapt, and overcome.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Agriculture ................... C6 Back Page ................... D6 Business .......................A10 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ............................ D3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A8 School Zone ............... A6-7 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B5-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
After the speakers, students had a 25-minute break to talk with the community leaders, relax or get to know fellow students. Health care professionals, including hospital CEO Jason Cleckler, described the different components of health care in Delta County and how they work together. Undersheriff Mark Taylor explained how law enforcement is organized in the RURAL LIFE TO A3
Photo by Randy Sunderland
Hanging out in Confluence
The hanging bridge over the Uncompahgre River is a great destination for those walking or biking the red rock trails in Confluence Park. What’s on the other side of the bridge? You’ll have to discover that on your own adventure.
City salaries adjusted to competitive market rate BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
The Delta City Council periodically reviews compensation and benefits paid to city appointed officers and employees of the city to determine appropriate compensation for those positions. At the June 5 council meeting city manager David Torgler and the council discussed the results of a comprehensive survey of comparable positions in the competitive job market, conducted to determine if pay ranges of city employees are competitive. The survey determined that six positions, out of the city’s 67 position classifications, were below the competitive job market range. No pay ranges exceeded the competitive job market pay range. The six individual positions below competitive job market pay range are: city clerk, city engineer/project manager, maintenance mechanic, and three positions in the police department — police officer, police records/office clerk assistant and police sergeant. The council had discussed
the survey results at prior work sessions. Torgler recommended the wage adjustment for these positions be effective April 1, 2018. The cost of the wage adjustment for these positions would total $68,723. The funds would be provided from the following funds: General Fund, $59,949; Water Fund, $323; Sewer Fund, $342; Parks & Rec Fund, $2,100; Internal Service Fund, $6,001. Councilmember Kevin Carlson recommended the wage adjustment be effective Jan. 1, 2018. He said, “Our employees will know that they are valued here. We have had to recruit twice for new employees.” Councilmember Christopher Ryan seconded the motion. Torgler was asked if any of these employees are now in the new-employee probation period. Torgler said there is not a probation period for Delta city employees; all are at-will employees. There are no individual raises; any raise happens when the city council passes a resolution to that
Temporary closures for Crag Crest The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests’ Grand Valley Ranger District has issued a temporary closure for the entire Lower Crag Crest Trail (#711.1A) and the eastern portion of the Crag Crest National Scenic Trail (#711). The closure will remain in place through the end of 2018. The trails will be closed to address public safety concerns while timber is being harvested adjacent to the trail corridor. Dead and dying trees from the ongoing spruce beetle outbreak on the Grand Mesa National Forest are being harvested to salvage the still usable timber, reducing the likelihood of spruce beetles spreading to new areas and to reduce the
wildfire risk to neighboring private lands including the Grand Mesa Resort Company, which has numerous privately owned cabins adjacent to the harvest area. The majority of the Crag Crest National Scenic Trail (#711) and the Crag Crest Trailhead on Highway 65 will remain open for public use throughout the timber salvage operations. Due to several active timber sales on the Grand Mesa National Forest, large numbers of timber trucks can be expected on the south end of Highway 65, Trickel Park Road (NFSR 121), Hay Park Road (NFSR 129) and the Old Grand Mesa Road (NFSR 123) throughout the summer and fall.
effect. A cost of living raise was granted by council last year. Finance director Tod DeZeeuw said adjusting the salaries effective Jan. 1, 2018, could cost the city $91,631. A motion to approve the adjustments to wages was made. Councilmembers Carlson, Ryan and Gerald Roberts voted for the motion. Mayor Ron Austin voted “nay.” The motion passed. Mayor Austin said he doesn’t discount the value of any employee, but disagreed with giving the same percentage across the board. He said he thought the council should have a serious discussion about the police department issue. He said employees in the police department have very different duties compared to the person planting flowers. Austin said, “The police department should be separated and get compensated on the type of work they do. I don’t believe lumping police officers in with other employees will increase our ability to recruit police officers.”
Wellness pool to re-open After an extensive closure for repairs, the wellness pool at Bill Heddles Recreation Center is expected to re-open later this week. According to a Facebook post, the leaks have been located and repaired, and the staff is now in the process of balancing and heating the pool. Call 874-0923 for updates.