NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
QUILTS FOR KIDS
Paonia 9-year-old comforts others with her sewing projects, B1
SPORTS
THANKFUL COMMUNITY Homebound, animals benefit from community’s generosity, C1
DELTA COUNTY
MARATHON MAN Kevin O’Brien: Running for the health of it, B5
NOVEMBER 28, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 48
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Workshop devoted to medical marijuana BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
As a starting point for licensing medical marijuana centers and cultivation facilities, Delta City Council members are reviewing regulations in place in nearby communities. A three-month moratorium has been established to give council time to work through the regulatory framework for the medical marijuana facilities authorized by city voters in November’s general election. Since his office developed the regulations for DeBeque, Delta city attorney David McConaughy suggested those regs as a starting point for discussion. He also provided a breakdown of application
requirements and operating regulations for Palisade and Ridgway. All three communities have approved the sale and cultivation of medical marijuana. At a work session scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, Delta City Council members will be discussing how those regulations can be adapted to Delta’s needs. Marijuana facilities must be licensed by both the city and the state. City council will also be looking at zoning regulations adopted by a previous city council when a petition for recreational marijuana was being circulated. The regulations were shelved when the petition was pulled. MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO A3
Request for city deannexation denied BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A request to de-annex a parcel of land on the outskirts of the city was denied by Delta City Council Nov. 20. The parcel is one of three annexed to the city in 2006 at the request of property owner Jack Petrucelli. He anticipated a large, 260-lot subdivision known as Riverwalk to be built off 1600 Road, across from the Emerald Hills subdivision. The recession hit, plans for a subdivision were dropped, and the land has lain fallow. The city provides no services. “The annexation has not
worked for the city and it has not worked for us,” Petrucelli said. A potential buyer has expressed a desire to purchase a portion of the land to farm and raise goats. Mike Watson and his wife told council members they would also like to build a house fronting the Uncompahgre River. But according to the pre-annexation agreement, they must connect to city water and sewer. That would require a long service line from the water and sewer lines serving Emerald Hills. To avoid the additional expense — DEANNEXATION TO A3
Santa visits the fort
It’s a busy time of year for Santa and Mrs. Claus, but they were glad to set aside some time after the Parade of Lights to meet the good little girls and boys who visited Fort Uncompahgre. Toasty fires, hot chocolate and glowing luminaries warmed the hearts and spirits of all who attended Christmas at the Fort, despite the frigid temperature Friday night.
City to add police officers, marketing position in 2019 BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
The City of Delta is in the process of finalizing a budget that anticipates a 2 percent increase in revenue, but a 15 percent increase in expenditures. To maintain a balanced budget, transfers will
Facebook post leads to quick arrest in chain saw theft DPD PRESS RELEASE
On Nov. 14 at approximately 6:15 p.m., officers of the Delta Police Department responded to Delta Ace Hard-
Surveillance footage
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Back Page ................... D6 Business .......................A10 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ............................ D3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries .................. A6-7 School Zone .................. A8 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B5-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
ware, 121 Gunnison River Drive, for the reported theft of a chain saw. Ace Hardware employees reported witnessing a Caucasian male enter the chain saw aisle, select a $1,129.99 chain saw and walk out the front door without paying for the item. Employees followed the male outside to a car where they witnessed the chain saw being put in the car. An employee attempted to detain the male. In doing so the man tried to “throw a punch” and pull away from the employee. The employee discontinued his effort to detain the subject. The male entered the passenger side of the car and the car drove away. Store security system video footage was obtained and still photos taken from the footage was posted to the Delta Police Department Facebook page requesting assistance from the community to identify the man in the photos. A Delta County Sheriff ’s Office employee identified the male subject as Dan-David Lamon, 18, of Olathe.
Fort Uncompahgre photo
A warrant was issued for the arrest of Lamon, charging him with robbery, a fourth degree felony, with a bond of $5,000 cash or surety. Lamon was later arrested and is currently jailed in Montrose. The charge of robbery arose from the allegation of theft including the use of force and intimidation by attempting to strike and pull away from the witness who attempted to detain the defendant from leaving the premises with stolen property.
DCSO booking photo
Dan-David Lamon
be required from the city’s enterprise funds. Since there is no property tax in the city, sales tax is the primary method of funding city services. To support the general fund budget, which covers police, community development, street maintenance and administration, transfers totaling $500,000 will be required from the utilities funds in 2019. As a result of budget discussions that have been taking place since early September, the 2019 budget will include two new police officers and a marketing firm/employee. Requests for a third officer and an administrative assistant in public works/utilities will not be funded. A request to help fund elevator/HVAC repairs at the Delta Library is not included in the 2019 budget, but remains under consideration. All employees will see a 3.5 percent salary increase, and the minimum wage will increase by 90 cents on Jan. 1, as mandated by state law. Capital projects budgeted for 2019 include improvements at Cleland and Confluence parks. At Cleland, playground equipment will be replaced and improvements to the trail will provide better accessibility. Confluence Park improvements include a trail around the fort, a performance stage, tennis court upgrades and remodel of the visitor center restrooms. It’s anticipated GOCO grants will assist with the cost of these improvements. Street repairs and main-
tenance are budgeted at $709,989; storm water system upgrades at $400,000; and water rehab/maintenance, to include the Big Battlement Reservoir, $400,000. Other capital expenditures include a new roof for the museum building, which is owned by the city, $29,000; HVAC repairs at city hall, $18,000; police department remodel, $25,175; police department equipment, $23,064; parks equipment including mowers, $282,000; and vehicles — four new patrol cars, a Jeep for ML&P and a pickup for parks, $221,000. Under donations/contributions, the city has allocated $5,000 to Delta County Economic Development; $17,430 for All Points Transit; $1,000 for Delta Housing Authority rehab of four housing units; fireworks, $3,000; grad night, $300; BSA flags, $100; chamber, $3,000; Health Fair, $585; and other, $1,000. One cent of the city’s threecent sales tax is dedicated to parks, recreation and golf. Those funds are augmented by recreation center admission fees, grants and facility rentals. In his budget summary, city manager David Torgler noted that user admissions at Bill Heddles Recreation Center declined in 2017 and again in 2018. At a budget work session, Wilma Erven, director of parks, recreation and culture, said the opening of the recreation center in Montrose has impacted usage in Delta, but it’s starting to swing back in the other direction. The 2019 CITY BUDGET TO A3
Record number of votes cast
Traffic accident kills one
Almost 2.6 million Coloradans cast ballots in the midterm election, giving the state the second highest turnout in the nation, according to the unofficial final tally. Information sent to the Colorado Secretary of State from Colorado’s 64 county clerks show that 2,585,944 ballots were cast, and 2,574,748 ballots were counted. Voters who failed to cure signature problems accounted for the majority of untabulated ballots. According to the secretary of state, 34.0 percent of the voters were unaffiliated; 32.9 percent Democrat; 31.5 percent Republicans; and 1.5% other. City clerk Jolene Nelson reported that 62 percent of the city’s active voters cast ballots in the November election. Countywide, 15,962 votes were cast, representing 71.35 percent of the county’s registered electors. That compares to 65.2 percent of the registered voters across the state.
On Monday, Nov. 26, at approximately 10:41 p.m., Delta Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 50 near mile marker 69 in North Delta. As officers arrived on scene they discovered a passenger car and a semi truck involved in what appeared to be a head-on collision in the westbound lanes of Highway 50. Debris was scattered across all lanes of traffic. The sedan was occupied by one male in the driver seat. The semi truck was also sitting in the westbound lanes. Highway 50 was closed as Delta County Ambulance District and the Delta Volunteer Fire Department responded to extricate the deceased male driver, identified as Orlando Virgil, 36, of Littleton. Also on scene were Delta County coroner Lance Boren, Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Department of Transportation.