The City of Delta is looking for a new location to move the town’s library services, preferably “closer to downtown.” The move is part of a city/county project that would help the county expand the Sheriff Department’s facility space. The historic Delta Library building is being eyed by County Commissioners to accommodate the Sheriff Department’s administration and dispatch allowing expansion of the jail facility at its current location.
County Commissioners and City officials discussed the project during a joint work session on Monday, March 1. “We’re filling up all of the time,” said Commissioner Suppes, referring to the current county detention center. “Sucks to loose that building as a library, that’s what it was built for, but you need the space,” replied one city councilmember.
LeValley and Casselberry top monthly earners at county in 2020
County Administrator Robbie LeValley was the highest paid county staffer earning $121,000 ($10,083/month) in 2020 according to Delta County’s legal posting of salaries in the Feb. 24 issue of the DCI. This salary represents a 9% raise from LeValley’s 2019 reported salary earnings of $110,313.
The county administrator position is appointed by County Commissioners. Staff raises — generally 2-3% depending on the county’s economic health and forecast — are recommended each year by the County Administrator during budget discussions. Commissioners, however, decide what to pay their administrator.
According to the same DCI posting, Elyse Ackerman Casselberry was paid $74,821 in 2020 for work she did through July 2020. That works out to $10,688/month. Casselberry was employed by Delta County as the Community and Economic Development Director until she joined the City of Delta as the town’s manager in August. Casselberry earned $94,554 in all of 2019, or $7,879/month.
“Junkyards lower my property value”
At this week’s public meeting, a Cedaredge resident complained bitterly to County Commissioners about illegal trailer parks and junkyards strewn throughout his neighborhood. When asked by Commissioners whether he had filed a complaint with the county’s planning department, the Cedaredge resident said that he had on several occasions and, at one time, was told “we’ve seen worse.”
“Part of the reason we adopted the new land use code to help eliminate these,” said Commissioner Suppes. “We are hiring a code enforcement officer … I can assure you we will look into it.”
NOTE: County Attorney John Baier met with Commissioners in executive session on Monday to provide legal counsel concerning “uses that are not allowed in any zoning district pursuant to the Delta County Land Use Code.” Junkyards are one of those uses.