• Commissioners approved a resolution supporting a 2019 ballot initiative that would raise sales tax by one percent. The additional funding will go toward local law enforcement and is being spearheaded by County Sheriff Mark Taylor, former County Sheriff Fred McKee and Delta City Police Chief Luke Fedler. Neighboring counties including Mesa and Montrose counties have passed similar initiatives. “We understand the need and think it’s up to the voters to decide,” said Commissioner Suppes.
• Commissioners were introduced to the new publisher of the Delta County Independent, Dennis Anderson. Anderson has a home in Delta and, until recently, lived in Alaska where he remains publisher of three other community newspapers owned by Wick Communications who recently purchased the DCI. “I’ll be traveling between Colorado and Alaska,” said Anderson. He is also publisher of the Montrose Daily Press, another Wick Communications newspaper.
• Commissioners will designate a “Complete Count Committee” for a 2020 census. Representatives from each municipality and surrounding area will be recruited to help organize canvasers and implement a public notification campaign.
• BLM will conduct a Dobies Clean Up Day on May 18. Commissioners agreed to wave the landfill and tire fees for 24 tons of trash that the BLM collects in a 12 month period.
• Commissioners agreed to participate in the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) agreement to transfer federal entitlement funds in a lump sum every four years to partnering county airports on a rotating basis. Kit Carson Airport with receive this year’s funds.
• Commissioners extended the two-lot subdivision exemption resolution for an additional year. The resolution gives property owners the ability to seek a waver of the county’s density standard if they wish to subdivide their property into a smaller parcel then the average parcel size within their subdivision.