NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
SPORTS
OIL/GAS LEASE
SWEAT EQUITY
PANTHER PAWS
BLM urged to remove parcels that affect town’s water source, B1
Habitat for Humanity dedicates Cedaredge home, C1
Young wrestlers learn skills, sportsmanship, team pride, B5
DELTA COUNTY
JANUARY 25, 2012 VOL. 129, NO. 4
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
McMillan, school board cite ‘philosophical differences’
School superintendent resigns Jan. 19 meeting. School board members Cheryl Hines, Kathy A 40-year career with Delta Svenson, Tom Mingen and County Joint School District Pete Blair cast “yes” votes. “I would like to thank Mr. #50 came to an abrupt end Thursday, Jan. 19, when McMillan,” Hines said. “He superintendent Mike McMil- has done a great job for our lan submitted his resigna- school district in the past. But tion just prior to the monthly going on in the future, in my opinion it is in the best interschool board meeting. McMillan said he would est of the district for us to go carry out his professional in a different direction.” Attending the meeting responsibilities until an interim superintendent can were a couple of hundred be appointed. Board presi- staff members who wanted dent Tom Mingen said that to show their support for a an interim superintendent salary increase. Unaware of could be on the job within two the unresolved differences between McMillan and the weeks. “If I had my choice, I would board, they were shocked by still be working,” McMillan McMillan’s sudden departure. The board had met with said in a prepared statement issued Friday morning. McMillan privately three “Those that direct me have times without resolving the indicated they would prefer differences that cropped up to go in a different direction. shortly after three new board I do regret the board wants members were seated in November. to go this route. I When asked do wish the best for about their unrethis school district. solved differences, It is about the stuMingen said it’s dents, the staff, the hard to pinpoint parents that sup“where it startport schools.” ed and where it “I think we’re stopped. making a big mis“We’ve had a ton take,” said school of meetings over board member the last couple of Tammy Smith. She months,” he said. was the only board “The chasm just member to vote grew wider.” against accepting “We tried awful McMillan’s letter of Mike McMillan hard [to resolve resignation at the
those differences],” said school board member Pete Blair. “It just wasn’t going to happen.” During the public comment period early in the meeting, six district employees, former staff members and parents spoke in support of McMillan.
BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Accused arsonist wanted back in jail BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A man who allegedly told Delta Police Department investigators that he wanted to go back to prison admitted to setting two fires and vandalizing several businesses on Jan. 18. The fires were reported at about 9:36 p.m. that day, one at a construction area on Cottonwood Drive and the other at a motor home on W. 4th Street. Delta Police and Delta Volunteer Fire Department responded to both incidents and both fires were extinguished. The fire at the construction area damaged a container used to hold construction waste materials and a utility trailer. The fire in the residential area damaged a power line and caused a power outage. As the investigation unfolded, DPD officers were informed that FelFellipe
lipe N. Morfin, 37, of Delta had turned himself in at the Delta County Jail. He was the owner of the motor home which was destroyed by the fire. He also allegedly confessed to breaking doors and glass at a number of downtown Delta establishments, including Bank of the West, Uptown Liquors, Wells Fargo Bank and Bank of the West. Morfin was arrested and jailed by Delta Police for second degree arson, third degree arson, and criminal mischief over $1,000 in damage and is being held at the Delta County Jail on a $5,000 bond. The Delta Police Department thanks the Delta Volunteer Fire Department, Delta County Sheriff ’s Office, and Delta Municipal Light and Power for their response and assistance in this Morfin case.
Nora O’Brien, former director of special services, said it was disturbing to learn the board was considering terminating McMillan. “What is also shocking and disturbing is the fact that three of you are brand new to
this board. Three of you have not given our superintendent a chance to work with this board on the most important responsibility in our society — the education of our children. If you could each take McMILLAN TO A3
Photo by Bob Borchardt
Snow arrives just in time With snow blanketing the golf course in Cedaredge, the only sign of life on the greens was this herd of deer — and they left their clubs at home. The snow which fell in Cedaredge and the higher elevations of Grand Mesa comes just in time for this weekend’s sled dog races, cross-country skiing event and state snowmobile convention. Turn to page C1 for more information on the “big doin’s” this weekend. “There is new snow and I know everyone is excited to play in it,” said Katie Himes, president of the Delta SnoKrusers snowmobile club.
Teachers make the case for a salary increase BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
About 200 district staff members attended the Jan. 19 meeting of the Delta County School Board to show their support for a teacher-generated proposal to reinstate the salary increases which have been suspended for several years. The Delta County Coordinating Council, which represents the majority of the teachers in the district, is urging the school board to retroactively reinstate the salaries to the point at which they were frozen in the 2009-2010 school year. Their request was reinforced by Scott Siettmann, a member of the Delta County Education Association, during the school board meeting. Both point out that the school district has not only weathered the funding shortfalls of the last few years, it has managed to more than quadruple
its fund balance to more than $4 million. “Because of the district’s conservative fiscal management and the growth in our unrestricted reserve funds, this might be an appropriate time to compensate our teachers for their hard work and willingness to work cooperatively within budget constraints,” Coordinating Council president Paul Beller stated in a memo to school board members. “If our district wishes to retain and attract high-quality teaching staff, we believe it is in everyone’s best interest — students, teachers and community — to move forward with such salary advancements as can be afforded at this time.” Siettmann’s comments were more direct. He believes staff members have borne the brunt of the school district’s funding problems. He said he personally lost around $1,500 in compensation last year, and
this year he’s making almost $3,000 less. Plus, staff members are paying more for their health insurance and, as parents, they’re shouldering the same costs for activities and transportation as other families in the school district. He blames the salary freeze on a “consistent lack of planning on the part of the district.” “Other expenses come first and then staff compensation becomes merely what is left over,” he said. “The past four years with the absence of a cost-of-living adjustment and the more recent salary step freeze sends the message that staff experience, years of service and staff compensation are negotiable expenses, showing that staff is not the priority with the district. It’s time to start treating staff compensation as an investment, not an expense.” Siettmann says it’s also TEACHER SALARIES TO A3
INDEX
Truck route delayed
Petitions available
On the guest list
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ......................A12 Agriculture .....................C6 Back Page ................... D8 Church ........................... A8 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A5 Legals ......................... D3-6 Money & Taxes .... A10-11 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A9 School Zone ............... A6-7 Service Directory ........ D7 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
The Delta City Council has formally extended the commencement of alternate truck route construction from Feb. 1 to no later than April 1 of this year. SEMA Construction, Inc. will then have 15 months for completion of the project known as Confluence Drive. Late in 2011, public works director Jim Hatheway told Delta City Council members that right-of-way acquisition and agreements with the Union Pacific Railroad are taking longer than anticipated. A design change at the Palmer Street intersection added to the delay.
Four Delta City Council members will be elected during the regular municipal election scheduled for April 3. Council members from District A, B and C, as well as a council member at-large, will be elected. The election will be conducted by mail ballot. Nomination petitions are now available from the clerk at city hall, 360 Main Street. Signed petitions must be returned to the clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13. For more information on district boundaries, contact city clerk Jolene Nelson at 874-7902.
During the State of the Union address Tuesday night, Mahala Greer of Paonia was seated in the box with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Greer is a student at the University of Colorado Denver majoring in Spanish, and has just been accepted into Teach for America as a bilingual education corps member. In May she will graduate with more than $35,000 in student loans. Last October, Greer introduced President Obama when he spoke to students at CU Denver about how his administration is working to make college more affordable and reduce student loan debt.