Delta County Independent, April 18, 2012

Page 1

NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

SPORTS

NURTURING ‘PARENTS’

RESCUE READY

TOP-RANKED RELAYS

Crawford couple helps crippled turkey chick walk, B5

Cedaredge firefighters put new equipment to the test, C1

Hotchkiss girls master the art of the handoff, B6

DELTA COUNTY

APRIL 18, 2012 VOL. 129, NO. 16

75¢

INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Four seek election to hospital board BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Ballots are appearing like clockwork in the mail — March, April and soon ballots for the June 26 primary. On Monday, April 16, the county clerk’s office sent out ballots for the 2012 special district election. Regardless of the recipient’s location, there will be an opportunity to vote for two directors to the Delta County Memorial Hospital board. The other questions are limited to the geographic

areas incorporated within the Delta County Ambulance District, North Fork Pool, Park and Recreation District, and Hotchkiss Fire Protection District No. 4. Only registered voters who live within, or own property, in those areas are eligible to vote on the questions posed by those three special districts. Ballots must be returned to the clerk’s office in the county courthouse or the North Fork annex in Hotchkiss before 7 p.m. Election Day, May 8. Last week, the DCI fea-

tured the six candidates seeking election to the board of directors of the Delta County Ambulance District. This week, focus turns to the four

individuals seeking election to the hospital board — Diana Hanson, John Breitnauer Jr., David Lane and Barry Singleton. Two directors will be

elected to four-year terms. Diana Hanson, a resident of Delta since 2001, is prepared to give up her job at the HOSPITAL BOARD TO A10

New burn rules are in the wind BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer

County administrators and law enforcement plan to meet with local fire chiefs this week to finalize changes in Red Flag Day no-burn rules. The Board of County Commissioners on Monday heard first reading of an ordinance which, if adopted, will add days of “high wind advisories” to those when field fires, ditch fires and agricultural burns are not approved. County Sheriff Fred McKee had earlier explained to commissioners that the Red Flag

Day alerts issued by federal agencies sometimes don’t occur on high wind days. That is because Red Flag Days are determined by a number of environmental factors including fuels supply and condition, humidity, and temperature all in addition to winds. Federal agencies issue notices of Red Flag days. Separately, they also issue high wind advisories. The key provision in the county’s proposed new ordinance reads, “No person shall initiate in unincorporated BURN RULES TO A3

Photo by Randy Sunderland

Canyon blossoms Indian paintbrush flourishes in the arid soil of Escalante Canyon west of Delta. While red flowers are typically seen in western Colorado, Indian paintbrush has yellow, orange or pink blossoms in other parts of the country.

County backs BLM on lease sale BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer

The county commissioners have endorsed the BLM’s preferred alternative, with modifications, for the planned August North Fork gas lease sale. The county, in its first round of comments on the proposed August North Fork gas lease sale, acknowledged the view of drilling opponents and recommended the BLM consider a blanket deferral of all 22 parcels until BLM completes a new master resource management plan (RMP) for the Uncompahgre Field Office. The county’s second round of comments completed on April 16 abandons the blanket deferral option. Instead, the county “supports the (BLM’s) preferred alternative with its stated deferrals (approximately 5,487 acres) and the addition of (other) conditions and deferrals...” Those additions include recommended deferral of seven parcels that involve watershed issues. The BoCC also recommends additional lease restrictions on two other parcels. A county commissioners’ discussion of oil and gas issues Monday brought out constituents who offered their views in hopes of influencing the BoCC’s recommendations on two energy development studies. Two environmental

assessments (EA), one on the BLM’s proposed North Fork August gas lease sale and another on the Bull Mountain Unit field wide EA, were discussed by the commissioners Monday. North Fork Valley residents Richard Rudin and Sarah Sauter urged the commissioners to “stick to your guns” and back a blanket deferral of North Fork lease tracts. “Why are we being rushed into this process?” Rudin asked. He explained that he thinks the BLM’s review process is inadequate in several respects and that it doesn’t capture the impacts of key changes in the oil and gas industry. Sauter told the board, “I second what Richard has said.” She read from written testimony of others stating that the prospect of the lease sale is already hurting the area’s natural and organic food producers whose customers “think we are already polluted.” Real estate values are suffering, too, Sauter told the BoCC. The county should “slow down and support good management decisions,” she added. David Ludlum, West Slope director for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, told the commissioners that “populist pressure on you to act is

understandable.” But, “deferral is extremely problematic for the oil and gas industry,” he added. A new RMP can take 10 or 20 years to fully complete, he said, and then litigation is common. Energy companies can’t operate with those kinds of delays, he pointed out. Blanket deferral is a convenient way for energy opponents to “brand a lease sale,” but it misses the nuanced points at issue in energy development, Ludlum said The commissioners stated their support for responsible

energy development. “The (BoCC) wishes to reiterate its recognition of the importance and value of exploration and development of energy resources to the local and state economies,” says the county’s concluding remarks on the North Fork sale EA. At their meeting Monday, county commissioners also completed official comments on the Bull Mountain Unit field wide EA. The area in Gunnison County is being explored and developed primarily by SG Interests of Houston, Texas.

Cedaredge resident Loretta Molitor said that oil and gas development in the Upper Gunnison Valley endangers the air quality of the Lower Gunnison Valley. Sauter said the Bull Mountain development itself exceeds projected energy development activities outlined in the BLM’s current RMP — a reason to await the new RMP’s completion. Ludlum countered that the projections Sauter referred to are not in any way a cap or a limit on exploration and development activities.

Delta Police Department announces Drug Take-Back On Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Delta Police Department will be hosting a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Take-Back Initiative event for the disposal of prescription drugs and other medications from America’s homes. The disposal event will take place at the Delta Police Department, 215 W. 5th Street. The DEA will coordinate its fourth collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies, focused on removing potentially dan-

gerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. A national take-back day provides a unified opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction. This one-day event will once again provide a safe and secure collection and drop off site for medication owners regardless of where they reside. The Delta Police Department, in conjunction with the

Drug Enforcement Administration, wants the public to know some very important information and requirements for use of the program: • Controlled, non-controlled, and over the counter medications may be dropped off. This includes any medication from the pharmacy, or any store bought medication that is expired, old, or that is no longer needed, wanted, or required by the owner. • This program is anonymous and all efforts will be DRUG TAKE-BACK TO A3

INDEX

Meet supt. finalists

Comm. coordinator hired

Kerby considers offer

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ......................A11 Agriculture .....................C4 Back Page ................. D10 Business ........................ A5 Church ........................... D6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health & Fitness .......B9-10 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-5 Obituaries .................. A8-9 School Zone ............... A6-7 Sports ..........................B6-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ................. D7-8

The three finalists for Delta County School District 50J’s superintendent of schools will be interviewed April 20 and 21 by both the school board and two interview teams. The finalists are Corey Doss, Jeff Perry and Kelly Reed. The interview schedule includes a tour of the county and district schools, dinner with the board, and an open house. Members of the community are invited to meet the finalists Saturday, April 21, at the Delta Center for Performing Arts and Education, 822 Grand Avenue, Delta. Finalists will be introduced at 6 p.m.

The City of Delta has established a new position of communications coordinator. Alison LePage will work with the city on a part-time, contractual basis improving communications through the city’s website and newsletter, in collaboration with city clerk Jolene Nelson. Mass e-mails and news releases concerning the truck route and other major projects within the city are now LePage’s responsibility, according to city manager Joe Kerby. When construction begins on the alternate truck route, she will also provide updates for affected residents.

Delta city manager Joe Kerby reported Tuesday morning that negotiations with La Plata County are continuing. Last week the DCI reported Kerby has been offered a position as county manager. Kerby said he is waiting for word from the La Plata county commissioners, who were meeting in executive session Tuesday morning to decide if they were agreeable to the terms of employment proposed by Kerby. If an agreement is reached, Kerby said he would make an announcement at the city council meeting Tuesday evening.


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