- Commissioners approved the release of $10,000 in escrow funds, collected from residential developers via fire hydrant installation fees, to purchase a new fire truck for the Hotchkiss Fire District. “We have a truck under contract right now,” said Hotchkiss Fire Chief, Doug Fritz, “…and we want to use the funds in escrow as a down payment.” Since the funds are earmarked for fire mitigation that could include fire hydrants, commissioners agreed that using the money to help fund the purchase of a new truck would be better than leaving it to languish in escrow. “The money sitting there isn’t helping anyone,” says Chairman Suppes.
- Commissioners made appointments to the Delta County Planning Commission to address expired or vacated positions. Kim Shay was reappointed to represent District 3; also representing District 3, Tom Kay and Jacob Gray were newly appointed to fill vacancies left by Bob Steckert and Tony Prendergast; Tate Locke was reappointed to represent District 2.
With the elimination of the Area Planning Committees (APC’s) and addition of district associates to the Planning Commission, Dick Gilmore was appointed to represent District 1 and Eli Wolcott will represent District 3. No one applied to the associate position to represent District 2 and applications are encouraged. Associate PC members may attend meetings but can only vote in the absence of their district’s main representative or to meet quorum.
The 2019 roster:
Steve Shea, D1
Angela Mackey, D1
Steve Schrock, D1
Associate: Dick Gilmore, D1
Lucinda Stanley, D2
Tate Locke, D2
Layne Brones, D2
Associate: open, D2
Kim Shay, D3
Tom Kay, D3
Jacob Gray, D3
Associate: Eli Wolcott, D3
Candidates who applied but were not appointed:
Bob Pennetta
Eliza Greco
Doug Beall
- Commissioners honored Bob Steckert and Tony Prendergast for their years of service on the Delta County Planning Commission. Both stepped down this year after serving six and nine years respectively.
- Commissioners made several other appointments to the area’s Cemetery Boards; Airport Advisory Board; County Library Board; Tourism Cabinet; and the Youth Shooting Sports Advisory Board.
- Discussion about signing a $41,000 contract with Golder Associates, Inc., for county landfill engineering services was removed from the commissioner’s meeting agenda by Administrator LeValley. She told commissioners, “I sign that contract.” Golder Associates has provided similar consulting services to Delta County for many years. DCCR was not able to locate evidence that this contract was put out to bid, as per county policy.
- Commissioners adopted a resolution (R 2019-004) to tweak earlier resolutions that dictate how the county will sell or dispose of real property. The new resolution removes the “first right of refusal” and “buildable land” clauses currently in the policy. While adjacent residents will be notified when county property comes up for sale or disposal, they will no longer be given the first right to refuse to make the purchase, nor will the county property need to be classified as buildable land in order to be sold.