NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
A SACRED SERVICE
Threshold Choir brings songs of comfort to the dying, B1
SPORTS
OSCAR NIGHT
ON THE COURT
Awards recognize Cedaredge businesses, volunteers, B4
DELTA COUNTY
Delta girls climb to the top in league play, B6
JANUARY 23, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 4
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
DMEA, Tri-State dual over contract buyout BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer
Ongoing efforts by DeltaMontrose Electric Association to negotiate what it believes is a fair price for buying out of its contract with wholesale energy provider Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., have stalled. After more than two years of negotiations with TriState, DMEA believes it has exhausted all of its options to negotiate a buyout. In December, DMEA filed a formal complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, asking for help in asserting its legal authority over TriState, a public utility, and to set an exit charge that is “just, reasonable and non-discriminatory.” Tri-State is suing DMEA in Adams County District Court over its efforts to have the PUC decide on the fee. Tri-State generates and transmits power to 43 coop members in four western states. Under its contract, which expires in 2040, DMEA must purchase 95 percent of its power from Tri-State. DMEA’s board believes the savings from purchasing power from other suppliers would cover the cost of buying out the years remaining on the contract. Because DMEA is under a nondisclosure agreement with Tri-State, those negotiations are not made public, according to DMEA spokesperson Virginia Harman. “Tri-State’s members overwhelmingly reject DMEA’s argument that the (PUC) has jurisdiction over this issue,” said Tri-State spokesperson Lee Boughey. “Thirty-four TriState members (80 percent) filed in support of our position that the commission does not have jurisdiction in this matter.” On Jan. 15, Tri-State filed a complaint in Adams Coun-
ty District Court, asking the court “to clarify Tri-State’s rights and DMEA’s obligations under the association’s bylaws,” according to a press release issued by Tri-State. “It also asks the court to confirm that the (PUC) does not have authority to decide this contract dispute.” Tri-State claims that DMEA’s efforts to withdraw from the contract violate its bylaws and break its “allrequirements contract. DMEA entered freely into the contract in 1992 and affirmed the contract in 2001,” said Tri-State CEO, Mike McInnes in the release. When members voluntarily sign a long-term power purchase contract, “TriState becomes responsible to plan, finance, build, operate and maintain a complex system that reliably delivers power to the member over the contract term.” “We believe the court will confirm our board’s authority to determine the terms and conditions under which a member may withdraw from our association,” said McInnes. A majority of TriState members believe the PUC “is not the proper forum for the issue to be considered. This is a corporate governance and contract issue that appropriately belongs in the courts.” Former DMEA board member John Gavan was recently appointed to the PUC by former Gov. John Hickenlooper. According to PUC spokesperson Terry Bote, because he has not yet been confirmed, his participation in any related proceedings by the PUC will not be addressed until “he officially begins serving as a PUC commissioner.” Last September, 68 percent of DMEA members backed a buyout in voting to approve changes to the 80-year-old energy co-op’s Articles of Incorporation. The changes were intended to give DMEA
more options and tools to support an exit and purchase more renewable and locallygenerated power. The board believes it would best serve its
Managing Editor
The votes are in, and a clear favorite has emerged in the quest to adopt a set of school calendars for 20192020, 2020-2021 and 20212022. A school calendar committee that was formed in the fall came up with three options, then sought input from staff and parents. The favorite received 246 votes; the runner-up came in at 139 votes. Based on that input, school superintendent Caryn Gibson recommended the school board adopt option one for the next three years. With that option, school will start on a Wednesday, Thanksgiving break will be a full week and for the first time
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page .................... C8 Business ........................ A8 Church ............................C4 Classifieds ...................C1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ..........................C2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-3 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone .................. A5 Service Directory ......... C7 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...B4-5 TV Listings ..................C5-6
in many years, the school year will extend beyond Memorial Day (in 2020 only). Gibson said elementary school teachers prefer the first day of school to be midweek, to help younger students ease into the routine of a new school year. Next fall, the first day of school will be Wednesday, Aug. 21. School has typically been in session on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. Gibson noted that attendance drops off for those two days, and some students have noted they’re not as productive as they could be. To maintain 168 student contact days, the last day of the 2019-2020 school year will be May 29. In 2020, Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25. For the second and third year
Throughout the election, DMEA held numerous public meetings and presentations throughout its service DMEA, TRI-STATE TO A3
Photo by Pat Sunderland
U.S. Senator Cory Gardner looks at a sample of marble tile that’s currently being imported from Italy. When a production facility is completed in Delta, tiles and slabs can be produced locally from the marble quarried in Marble. General manager Daniele Treves provided a comprehensive overview of the quarry and the Delta facility for the senator and his staff. Pictured on the right are Delta County Commissioners Mike Lane and Don Suppes.
Senator Gardner tours Colorado Stone Quarries BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
On Monday, U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) was interested to hear how a quarry operation in Marble is boosting the economy of both Delta and Gunnison counties. He visited Colorado Stone Quarries south of Delta with two staff members and Delta
School calendar looks a little different in 2019-2020 BY PAT SUNDERLAND
members by allowing for the purchase of more renewable and locally-generated power at a lower cost and, in the long run, help to stabilize rates.
of the calendar, school will end the Friday before Memorial Day. The calendar includes weeklong breaks in October, November, December, January, February and April. Gibson said she believes that schedule will help the school district retain and recruit teachers, but said the question has to be asked: Is it best for students? She concluded that students would also benefit from the calendar, which aligns with curriculum, accommodates standardized testing, and sets aside time for parent/teacher conferences and staff development. School board members unanimously approved the calendar backed by Gibson and most staff members.
County commissioners Don Suppes and Mike Lane. General manager Daniele Treves explained how the quarry operation has been expanded since it was purchased by RED Graniti in 2011. The Italy-based, multinational corporation has invested millions of dollars in western Colorado. The Marble quarry is now known as the Pride of America mine with portals named after the nation’s early presidents — Washington, Lincoln, Adams, Jefferson and others. The massive blocks of marble are trucked over McClure Pass to the plant in Delta, then transported via truck or rail to shipping terminals in Norfolk, Va., or Houston, Texas. From there the marble is shipped to Italy, where much of it is cut into tiles and slabs to meet the growing demand for high-end marble finishes both domestically and around the world. Because much of the marble winds up back in the U.S., Colorado Stone Quarries is planning a production facility that will utilize one of the most technologically advanced cutting systems in the world. The production facility will also be located in Delta, in a second free standing building on the property at 1734 Highway 50. Treves told the senator that he expects to add 15
to 20 employees when that production facility is up and running in late 2019. Much of the equipment, and two employees with the technical know-how to operate that equipment, will be coming from Italy, he said. The rest of the employees will be hired locally. Treves said the majority of his employees at both the quarry and the production facility are residents of Delta County. Treves mentioned that the Marble quarry is supplying marble for repairs to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The iconic structure is made of pure white Calacatta marble from Colorado, while the marble for the floor and Lincoln’s statue came from Georgia. Colorado Stone Quarries is also bidding on supplies for a memorial at New York City’s Ground Zero that will consist of thin slices of marble encased in glass. Architects designed the stone-glass facade to be naturally translucent. During the night, the structure will be illuminated from the interior, giving it a glowing amber appearance. Colorado Stone Quarries does not have the capability to cut the marble to the thickness required, but Treves sees the possibility of future expansion to provide cut-tosize services. GARDNER TO A3
Hemp discussion scheduled
SNAP benefits must last
The Montrose Economic Development Corporation and the Colorado Hemp Industries Association are hosting a community engagement meeting to gather the best data and potential impacts regarding the feasibility of producing and processing hemp seed grains in the valley. A REDI grant has been obtained to research the possibility and to evaluate the interest of growers in our region. This project will identify the costs, benefits, risks and potential return on investment for farmers and entrepreneurs in Montrose and Delta counties. The market for hemp grains for animal and human foods continues growing faster globally and opens more opportunities for producers. This discussion will take place Thursday, Jan. 24, 1 p.m. at the Montrose County Event Center.
Due to the continuing partial federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Colorado have released February SNAP benefits early to most recipients. The department urges clients who received an additional SNAP payment on their EBT cards from Jan. 16-20 to keep in mind that it is an advance SNAP payment for February. No additional SNAP benefits will be allotted in February. Participants should plan food purchases carefully throughout January and February so their food needs are met through the partial government shutdown. If more food resources are needed during the partial government shutdown, clients are encouraged to reach out to a local food bank or community agency in their area. SNAP benefits will not be issued again until March, and only if the funds are available from the federal government.