State Senator Gail Schwartz and Representative Millie Hamner will be attending.

Attendees are asked to reserve by June 1and let them know if you prefer a vegetarian entree.

Contact: Gretchen Nicholoff

970-261-0889

gnicholoff@gmail.com

Rep. Hamner (left) and Sentator Schwartz (right foreground) at a recent Paonia Town Hall meeting. Herald Photo by Tom Wills

According to board member Susan Raymond of Hotchkiss, The Delta Conservation District has approved a confidentiality agreement with Kurt Johnson of Telluride Energy and Lindsey George of Applegate Engineering to utilize a Department of Agriculture grant to assess where in the Valley micro- hydro applications could be utilized on irrigation projects. They will be allowed to use DCD ditch mapping data to come up with some concrete numbers for the production of electricity in the area. Johnson is President of the Colorado Micro-hydro Association.

Raymond says that the Fire Mountain Canal Company has worked with George in the past to identify two sites on the canal that might work for micro-hydro.

This discussion comes at an interesting time when there is increasing pressure on electric power suppliers to include a larger percentage of renewable energy in their portfolios. Our local cooperative, the Delta Montrose Electric Association buys power from a power production cooperative, Tri-State Generation, which currently limits DMEA contractually from generating more than five present of their own power. One way to utilize mini-hydro-generated electricity is to feed it directly into the electric grid via local power lines. Minus the Tri-State contract DMEA would be free to make this happen on a larger scale.

Speaking of DMEA and hydropower: “DMEA was able to absorb Tri-State’s 4.9 percent (power cost) increase because the South Canal hydro-project (near Montrose) will save DMEA $1 million,” DMEA board member Ed Marston recently wrote in a letter published in the DCI.  “This alternative energy project is that much cheaper than Tri-State power.” Marston is running for re-election against conservative/libertarian former District 3 County Commissioner Olen Lund.

In the meantime, in late May, Colorado Senate Bill 352 was awaiting Governor Hickenlooper’s signature. According to a press release, “The legislation will double the Renewable Energy Standard, from 10 percent to 20 percent for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the wholesale energy provider to most Colorado electric co-ops,” including DMEA.  Tri-State could meet this mandate by building more renewable generation facilities of its own or by allowing their member cooperatives to do the same. Besides solar and hydro SB 352 lists coal mine methane as an alternative energy source, something that might be a key in opening a new coal mine on Oak Mesa near Hotchkiss.

The Paonia Library is hosting a free screening of Promised   Land on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:00 pm. Click here or on the linkl below to view the trailer. Promised Land tells the story of a salesman for a natural gas company   who experiences life-changing events after arriving in a small town where his   corporation wants to tap into the available resources.

Trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHQt1NAkhIo

Just over three months ago, in a momentous victory for the public’s right to know and government transparency, U.S. District Court Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch ruled on February 13, 2013 that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated the public’s right to know when it concealed the identity of the entities that nominate public lands for gas drilling leases. Specifically, the Court held that BLM’s asserted justification for withholding the requested information“runs directly contrary to the purpose of the public sale process.”

The Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), on behalf of the community group Citizens for a Healthy Community (CHC), filed the FOIA request and subsequent lawsuit that resulted in the Court’s favorable ruling. (The organizations were seeking the names of the corporations that had nominated 30,000 acres of public lands surrounding the North Fork Valley in western Colorado for drilling and fracking.)

On April 15, 2013, BLM released the names of the EOI (Expression of Interest) submitters that had nominated the public lands at issue in the lawsuit. However, despite this court ruling, BLM staff has indicated that it does not intend to amend its policy of refusing to release of the identity of EOI submitters to the public.

Now, WELC, CHC, and 27 other local and national groups are calling on the BLM to lift this veil of secrecy and bring its policy in compliance with the Court’s ruling. In a letter sent today to BLM, the organizations labeled BLM’s refusal to change its policy “inappropriate, illegal, and inconsistent with the mandates of FOIA.”

“It is inconsistent with BLM’s position as a public agency and steward of our public resources that it continues to put up such a fight to withhold information about the corporations interested in extracting public resources,” said Megan Anderson, author of the letter and WELC attorney. “Even after a U.S. District Court judge held that the agency had no basis for withholding information about the nominations of oil and gas lease parcels, the agency continues to stonewall; BLM must revise its policy so that public can acquire this information without involving the time-consuming and costly legal system,” she concluded.

“Farmers, ranchers, and concerned residents in Delta County and elsewhere deserve transparency from the BLM. It’s time for the BLM to end its secretive policy of withholding expressions of interest and to make those documents publicly available when it announces its quarterly oil and gas lease sales across the country,” said Jim Ramey, Director of the Delta County community group Citizens for a Healthy Community.

The letter can be found here: http://www.westernlaw.org/sites/default/files/ltr%20re%20EOI%20policy.5.17.13_0.pdf

In addition to WELC and CHC, the letter was signed by 27 other organizations:

Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Blancett Ranches, Californians for Western Wilderness, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, EcoFlight, Food & Water Watch, Fractivist, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, High Country Citizens’ Alliance, Los Padres ForestWatch, Montana Environmental Information Center, National Parks Conservation Association, New Mexico Sportsmen, Oil & Gas Accountability Project- Earthworks, Peach Bottom Concerned Citizens Group, People’s Oil & Gas Collaborative – Ohio, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter, Upper Green River Alliance, Western Colorado Congress, Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Resource Advocates, Western Slope Conservation Center, The Wilderness Society, Wilderness Workshop, and 350 Colorado.

(For more information on WELC’s FOIA project, click here)

Crawford fashion, cowboy style, with Trustee Mike Tiedeman at the May 15, 2013 work session.

By Thomas Wills

Crawford Town Council

May 15, 2013

Present: Mayor Susie Steckel, Larry Kontour, Wanda Gofforth, Hetty Todd, James Sorenson, Chris Brown and Mike Tiedeman.

            “I see it as getting a foot in the door to ban coal,” Mayor Susie Steckel said after realtor Bob Lario, Jim Ramey of Citizens for a Healthy Community (CHC) and former trustee Christie Young presented an overview of the North Fork Alternative Plan to the council at their May 15 work session.

Young explained that part of the NFAP would ask for viewshed protections for the West Elk Scenic Byway, which includes the Highway 92 corridor through Crawford country.  “They (drilling operations) would have to be out of sight,” Young explained.

“I like the rigs,” trustee Hetty Todd commented. “They mean money”

Lario was adamant that the NFAP was not anti-coal and in fact contains protections so that gas drilling does not damage leasable coal reserves. The purpose of the plan was to present the BLM a united front from the North Fork community in the form of a comment on their in-progress new Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the region. The NFA plan, Lario explained, identifies resources valued in the North Fork and asks that damage to those resources be minimized by establishing setbacks and precluding surface activities in some areas.

Ramey and Young explained that the NFAP was narrowly focused on BLM owned land and  minerals and not on private mineral rights or drilling on the National Forest, which is also administered by the BLM. Drilling on private lands of privately held rights is regulated by the State through the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and local governments.

Former Crawford Mayor Jim Crook expressed support for the NFAP. Public Works Director Bruce Bair said he thought that the items in the plan were a good idea as did trustee James Sorenson.

The NFAP group will be asking for a letter of support for the plan at the Crawford council’s June 5 regular meeting.

Flood Insurance Doesn’t Require Much of Crawford

            Jamie Prochno, of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the regional coordinator for the Nation Flood Insurance Program, gave a presentation explaining how the Town and its citizens could participate in the program. The Council was concerned that adopting an ordinance assuring that new structures built in flood planes might obligate the Town to unforeseen costs. Prochno assured the trustees that since the town does not include any mapped flood planes, no enhanced building requirements would be called for. The nearest flood plane is the bottom of the Smith Fork, which is not within the incorporated town.

Since the majority of the town is on the side of a hill, there are no curbs and gutter on a majority of streets,  and drainage is less than organized, water and mud flows are a possibility during exception heavy rainfall. Mayor Steckel explained that there were several “gully washers” last year and that one damaged a structure and the owner had tried to buy flood insurance and was told that he could not do so unless the Town participated in the NFI program. A subsidiary of Lloyd’s of London also sells flood insurance, Prochno said.

The Town has a completed draft of a flood plane ordinance that will be considered for adoption June 5 regular meeting.  FEMA flood maps are available at www.fema.gov

Crawford Wants to Kiss Mistletoe Goodbye

            An infestation of parasitic mistletoe plants in juniper and cedar trees within the town was discussed.  Jim Crook, a master gardener and nursery owner, explained that short of chopping down affected trees the plant could simply be knocked loose and it would die once off the tree. At maturity mistletoe can shoot its seed up to 30 years, thus the play on the name as “Missile- Toe”. Birds also spread the seeds from tree to tree, Crook said. Larry Kontour reported that a Cedar at the Methodist Church has been killed by the mistletoe.

The appearance of leafy spurge around town was also mentioned.

Town Clerk Jackie Savage said she would try to inform citizens of the dangers from both plants.

House Eggings, Motorcycles and ATVs

            There was considerable discussion about a continuing spate of house eggings in town along with unlicensed dirt bikes and ATVs being used, sometimes at high rates of speed, on Town streets and alleys. It was suggested that citizens take pictures of the offending vehicles (and perhaps the eggers).

Trustee James Sorenson said that in a call to the Delta County Sheriff’s office he was told that someone in authority from the Town of Crawford had told the DCSO to back off enforcement in Crawford. Mayor Steckel will call to clarify the issue.

At meeting’s end everyone sang happy birthday to trustee Larry Kontour and cake and refreshments were served.

Although a recreational marijuana discussion was mentioned at a previous council meeting the issue was not broached.

Trustee Ross King (left) and Eric Goold were suspicious of credit card company.

It’s All About the Money

Town’s Tight Budget Limits Options for Town Manager

By Thomas Wills

Paonia Town Council  -  May 14, 2013

Present: Mayor Neal Schwieterman, Mayor pro-tem Corinne Ferguson, Ross King, Eric Goold, Amber Kleinman, Larry Wissbeck and Brian Ayers.

The Paonia Town Council was in fine (long) form at their May 14 regular meeting fully discussing almost every issue presented. For example, what at first blush appeared to be a quick approval of a procedure allowing the Town to accept credit cards for utility payments stretched out into over a half hour of debate about the fine print in the actual credit card company contract. Trustees Ross King and Eric Goold expressed worry that adopting the procedure would open a door to the company looting the Town treasury but the new bookkeeper, and Town Clerk Barb Peterson, assured them that was not the case. Peterson explained that the new credit ability should save the Town staff considerable time since people should be able to avoid shut-off notices.

“I think that people should just walk in write a check to the people at the desk,” Goold said, calling the contract wording “outrageous.”

It was estimated that being able to accept the card will cost the Town about $700 a year on top of other fees that will be paid by the customers.

In the end the council seemed to acknowledge that despite fearsome language in the contract, credit cards were the wave of the future and the Town needed to move forward. The Trustee approved the contract on a 4-2 vote with King and Goold still objecting.

Town Manager Quandary

            Larry Wissbeck of the personnel committee and Mayor Neal Schwieterman made a stab at explaining where the Town stands in the discussion about hiring a Town Manager. Given tight budget considerations what makes the most sense is to combine the Town Manager and Town Clerk position, the two said, but the problem there is do they advertise the position or just hire present Town Clerk Barb Peterson and expand her duties and salary? If they advertise what would happen if a more qualified candidate than Peterson were to step forward? Would Peterson then be replaced?

The well-liked Peterson has been preparing for the Town Manager position for several years including, with the Town’s support, returning to college to gain an additional degree in public administration.

Given the Town’s budget challenges it appears likely that the Council will either go with Peterson or defer the Town Manager issue on into the future. The need for a manager was underlined by the theft of public funds by the Town’s former finance officer who lacked close supervision.

Council Supports Mosquito Abatement District’s RAMP Reader Purchase

            Despite severe budget constraints the Trustees voted 5-1 to donate $500 to the North Fork Mosquito Abatement District.  The lone objection was from Brian Ayers who pointed out that NFMAD, like the Town, is a taxing entity and perhaps one taxing entity should not be donating to another. Ayers said that he personally supported NFMAD’s mission of protecting the public health and suggested that perhaps the Town could loan the District money rather than donate.

NFMAD secretary-treasurer Tom Wills (this reporter) explained that the RAMP reader equipment had already been purchased, would be in use very soon, and the District was fundraising to recoup the costs. He said that the equipment allows the testing of trapped mosquito samples to determine West Nile Virus infection within 90 minutes. This will allow the District to treat any affected area in a very targeted and timely manner. The Delta County Health Department has recommended and strongly supports the RAMP purchase. Delta Mosquito Control District has also purchased a RAMP reader.

In the end the Council approved the donation and Ayers, after the meeting underlining his personal support, presented Wills with a check to NFMAD for $50. With the donations the NFMAD-RAMP fund has now raised over $5,000 including a $3,000 grant from the Planet Heritage Foundation. The Town of Hotchkiss also contributed $500.

Other discussions and actions:

            Larry Wissbeck of the finance committee explained that the budget was “busted” due to unforeseen expenses including the emergency utility work and resulting street repairs on 3^rd Street as well as equipment repair/replacement costs. A supplemental appropriation will probably be necessary at year’s end to bring the budget into balance and compliance with State law. This probably translates into drawing money from reserves.

“We’re in very, very delicate condition regarding the budget,” Wissbeck said.

Mayor Schwieterman said that the water system project may have to be scaled back from an ideal of $5 million to a lower figure.  The water treatment plant upgrades are mandated by the State and the minimum may be around $2.4 million, Schwieterman said. Much of that cost will be paid for by grants and loans but the new debt will have to be serviced.

The Council heard an extensive presentation from Delta County oil and gas government designee, Bruce Bertram, giving an overview of oil and gas activity in the county, both recent and dating back to 2002. Bottom line—despite the current worries, there has been very little actual drilling here compared to surrounding counties.

(Submitted)

 First State Bank of Colorado is pleased to announce that the winners of the Bank’s annual scholarship contest have been chosen.  Twenty five high school seniors at three Delta County high schools vied for the First State Bank of Colorado Scholarship.

Each branch of First State Bank of Colorado forms an independent scholarship selection committee and judges the scholarships received from the High School served by that branch’s office.  The following students were selected by their hometown branches to receive the First State Bank of Colorado scholarship:

Hotchkiss High School: Alexis M. Westergren

Paonia High School:  Abbygail Campbell

Delta High School:  Tyler S. Werner

Scholarship recipients will receive a $1000 scholarship for use at any two or four year institution of higher learning.  First State Bank of Colorado congratulates the 2013 winners and wishes all graduates the best in their future pursuits!

Regular Meeting – May 13, 2013 – Paonia Public Library

 Present: Rain Klepper, Glenn Austin, Zach Hotchkiss, Tom Wills and DeeDee Durrance. Also present: Cheryl Hardy – Mountain Valley News

The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. by board president Rain Klepper. Rain, Tom and Glenn were present, constituting a quorum.

The minutes of the April 8 regular meeting were approved as written.

The May 13 agenda was approved.

DeeDee Durrance and Zach Hotchkiss arrived.

Treasurer’s Report

The treasurer/accountant’s report from Robyn (accountant) was presented by Tom and Rain in the form of multiple printed accounting reports including a new accounting summary report. As of April 30 the District accounts had $43,222.89 cash on hand. Revenue for the year to date was $52,997.76 in property tax and interest. 54% of the expected total revenue for the year is yet to be received. Total 2013 listed expenses to date were $20,456.01 with April expenses at $5,405.31.

Rain reported that Robyn had saved the District considerable funds in getting our Workmen’s Comp insurance rates reduced.

Board members were given a copy of the district’s tax exempt certificate along with a form to be given to vendors listing the current board members. They also received mileage log sheets to be filled out when using their vehicles on NFMAD business other than attending meetings. Board members will be compensated at the IRS approved per-mile rate.

The District now has two Chase credit cards to streamline and document purchases better.

The District should have the $3,000 from the Planet Heritage Foundation grant by June 1. The money is being passed through the Western Slope Conservation Center who is acting as our 501(C)3 fiscal agent in this case.

Bills

It was moved seconded and approved by all to pay the $4,200 billing from Adaptco for the three small spray units.

It was agreed to take a wait-and-see attitude concerning the earth movement/landflow that occurred behind the mosquito shed. It was determined that trying to move the slide material

at this time could make matters worse and would be prohibitively expensive. So far the earth movement has only damaged the fence but there is the potential for future damage to one corner of the building. The issue has been reported to the District’s insurance company.

Rain gave profuse thanks to Dave Weber for donations of time and equipment in rescuing and reconfiguring the District’s computer equipment. The computer at the Harvester building now has internet service and adequate backup. Dave also got the District’s new website set up and working.

The office is now fully functional for the season. Thanks again to Ed Marston for the donation of the space.

Correspondence

Rain and Robyn have figured out how two former employees qualified for unemployment in the off-season and how to prevent this from happening in the future, thus driving our rates up. That staff is hired on a seasonal, not ongoing, basis has been clarified and no employment for successive seasons will be committed to until after the first of the year in the applicable season.

Tom asked for authorization to send a letter to the Town of Hotchkiss asking to be notified of all development issues that might affect mosquito control along with cooperation and collaboration on other mosquito related issues. The board was amenable as long as the final draft was approved by Rain and the tone was friendly. Tom will also draft a comment letter to the Planning Commission and Town in relation to the Big B’s expansion thanking Jeff Schwartz (the owner) for agreeing in advance to mitigate junk (open barrels etc.) and drainage issues on the property.

There was a discussion sending a general request letter asking to be informed of developments in Paonia and in the unincorporated county.

The District now has a voice mail only account saving us money each month.  The manager checks the voice mail 5 times a day.

Gale Jirik of ADAPTCO will be here on May 22 to do calibration and droplet testing of spray equipment.

Tom will develop a media contact list for press releases and write a couple pages of “bytes” for the High Country Shopper.  Tom will act as the District’s spokesman at Hotchkiss and Paonia Town Council meetings giving the Council’s updates as the season progress and answering questions.

Rain reported that the minutes and agendas are now up on the new website and a list of needed future pages is being developed.  Tom will help with that once he is finished learning WordPress in his move to administering the Merchant Herald site. The NFMAD page (maintained by Tom) on Facebook is proving to be popular and effective as a communications tool.

Personnel

The board approved the re-hiring of Gregg Lucero who has recovered from an injury. Jonathan Gutz has been moved to reserve status.

Operations

The board was provided with example of the new door hanger cards to be left when property owners/residents are not home. Site evaluation/data sheets were also distributed.

Glenn reported that Ralph Clark, foreman of the Delta County Road District 3 has agreed to do roadside larvacide treatment when he observes places that need it if we supply the product.  He will record where the treatments were done.

Chris Tschinkel’s operations report listed mitigation and season prep work conducted during the month.

Zach reported that he had talked to the owner of the extensive Carsten property on the east side of Hotchkiss and there is an opportunity there to eliminate a good amount of mosquito habitat with the judicious use of a backhoe.  The Board authorized the work done, estimated at about $600.

Mitigation possibilities in the Pumpkin Hollow area were discussed

Volunteers/Trapping

DeeDee and Rain reported that the trapping program is underway on a limited pre-season basis with few insects in the traps. There have been some sporadic hatches but nothing that justifies full scale treatment yet.

The 16 new traps have arrived and been checked and the crew has been trained in their use. The ID and counting volunteer crew is ready.

Trap sites are being developed around the Towns and midway hot areas so as to establish a functional monitoring perimeter.

Strategic Planning

Rain announced that she had finished writing the NPDES Pesticide Discharge Management Plan for the district which needs to be filed before June 1.  All board members signed off on the plan. The 62 page plan contains general information, an overview of the operations plan and items such as how the District will react to chemical spills.

The District will want to purchase an ATV in the future.

The next regular board meeting will be on June 10 at 7 p.m. at the Hotchkiss Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted, Tom Wills – Secretary/Treasurer

NFMAD board members: Glenn Austin, Rain Klepper and Tom Wills. Not shown DeeDee Durrance

NFMAD board members: Glenn Austin, Rain Klepper and Tom Wills. Not shown DeeDee Durrance

Historical photo of 12 sided Fruitland Mesa dairy barn

(Submitted- Edited)

 The Interpretive Association of Western Colorado and the Delta County

The Historic Landmark Register will host an event at the Heddles Rec. Center in Delta on Saurday, May 18th from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00p.m.. Two documentary videos produced by CBS channel 4 will be shown featuring the sites in Delta County that were recently placed on the Most Endangered Places List including the Hotchkiss Barn and Homesteads of Escalante Canyon. An update of these projects and other areas of interest will be presented.

In April the Delta County Commissioners established the Delta County Historic Landmark Board which allows designation of Delta County buildings to a historic register.  Houses and other buildings with historic interest can be placed on this register such as the Hanson Castle on Leroux Creek Road. A slide show of possible eligible places will be presented and application forms will be explained.

Refreshments will be served.

Museum News

The museum is currently displaying photos and other items regarding the Crawford Dam and Gould Reservoir. The Crawford Dam was dedicated fifty years ago on April 20, 1963. One display case contains  photos taken by Logan McMurry during the construction of the ditches involved that was overall called called the Smith Fork Project.  The Gould Dam and Reservoir was constructed in 1913, one hundred years ago, to provide irrigation water  to Fruitland Mesa. Photos on display taken during this period show how the dam was constructed.

Two cases of antique and obsolete cameras are on display, many donated by local residents or on loan to the museum.  

 Several museum members have signed up to host during the summer months which is greatly appreciated.  If you can volunteer three hours a month to help keep the museum open, call Nancy Phillips at 872-3707.