This week's headlines
The ballots for the municipal election in Delta are expected to be mailed this week, the Delta County clerk and recorder's office reports. The ballots must be mailed or delivered to the county courthouse before 7 p.m. Election Day, April 3, to be counted.
Voters will select four city council members. They are also asked to amend the city charter, to clarify a measure dealing with the city council's contractual powers.
The language of the existing section is considered "archaic, confusing and unduly restrictive of the city's ability to enter certain contracts deemed to be in the city's vital long-range interests."
Specifically, the existing language hampers the council's ability to enter into long-term contracts, such as the multi-year agreement with Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska which locked in wholesale power costs for the City of Delta.
Council believes the city charter should be amended to "provide more reasonable and customary flexibility for the city in future contract settings."
In the councilmember race, two of the four seats to be filled are uncontested. In each of the other two seats, voters will choose between two candidates.
In District A, Ray Penick and Frank Tranchina are facing off for the seat currently held by Robert Jurca. Jurca is running for re-election, but for the at-large position on city council.
"My occupation required me to listen, educate and coordinate individual's wants and needs during one of the most difficult times in their lives," he said. "This ability to listen I feel is a very valuable attribute to have in order to serve the citizens of Delta properly.
Penick has served in a number of leadership capacities, including two previous terms on the city council. He serves on the Bona Fide Ditch board and is the financial secretary of his church.
When asked to list the three most pressing challenges facing the City of Delta he responded, "I have a reluctance to list just three challenges for fear that some may consider them my agenda should I become elected. After having said that, I will say the highway bypass demands attention as do the overall city finances. Many of the specific challenges relate to the overall city finances, such as funding of the golf course, maintaining infrastructure, city ordinances concerning business expansion and recruitment, continuing to provide city services at reasonable cost to the citizens, finding ways to trim costs without sacrificing service, adequately compensating city staff for their efforts in keeping the city operating through these lean financial years.
"My plan of action will be to listen, ask questions, seek input, and then proceed with those decisions that I feel would be in the best interest of the City of Delta. Unfortunately, some of those decisions may not be in the best interest of some citizens; but hopefully those decisions would be in the best interest of the city as a whole.
In the military, he taught computer and electronics. He has also repaired medical equipment.
He believes his experience with the City of Aurora gives him insight into how a city operates. His priorities would be keeping a manageable budget, maintaining the city infrastructure, and finding what the people of Delta want.
"What we need is an open city government that will look after the needs of the good people of Delta," he said. "I am a fresh face on council and not a repeat from the past."
Robert Jurca and Gerald Roberts are seeking election to the at-large seat on city council.
"I feel that my ability to adapt to constantly changing priorities and snap decisions by management in my industry has made me very flexible. I am able to easily assimilate new information, enabling me to make well informed but quick decisions."
He says the budget, attracting businesses and responsible growth are the city's top three challenges.
"Being an elected official my plan of action is to listen to my constituents and work collectively with the other council members to determine a course of action."
Jurca explains why he's the best candidate for the at-large seat: "I am in touch with the community because I have children enrolled in Delta schools but, as a working person I also understand the challenges residents will face in the upcoming years. I feel that I am approachable by all residents. I bring to the table my values of honesty, integrity and the belief that decisions made by council must be for the benefit of all the residents."
In his role as councilman, he served as chairman of the Project 7 Water Authority, attended numerous Colorado Municipal League (CML) conferences and training sessions for elected officials, and was chairman of the CML Policy Committee. He served on two separate city comprehensive plan development committees.
"Given my extensive years of service and involvement in the community, I believe that I possess the necessary knowledge of the responsibility, financial needs, and staffing needs of the city and its departments."
The number one challenge facing Delta, he believes, is the continued reliance on the Municipal Light and Power fund to subsidize the golf course at $500,000 per year.
"This subsidy is only costing the citizens of Delta who receive their power from Delta," he said. "Many of our citizens are on Delta-Montrose Electric and don't even have to pay this subsidy. Council should work toward finding a fair and equitable subsidy of the golf course. As a council member, I will work with the newly formed Citizens Financial Committee to seek alternate funding sources and/or seek reductions in expenditures to eliminate this subsidy."
Roberts also mentioned the continuing development of the alternate truck route and the overall poor economy. He said the Delta Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed several ordinances to make it easier to develop and do business in Delta.
In closing, Roberts said he is retired and has the time to attend meetings, research issues, and meet with the citizens.
"As your next council member, I will be available with a dedication that can not be matched," he said.
"I decided to run again for a final term to help see to fruition a very large project that has been ongoing for years and has been in full swing for the last four or more years," she said. "Of course I am talking about Confluence Drive. Love it or hate it, and I have had opinions expressed to me both ways, it is a project that is the largest the City of Delta has ever tackled and will contribute to the safety of all."
Cooper has been involved in a number of other large projects, including the high voltage transmission power line, the rec center tax extension, improvements to the treatment plant, the building of the ball fields at the rec center, the soccer fields at Cottonwood, and the city's newest addition, River Bend Park. Over the years she has served with three different city managers, three acting city managers, and three police chiefs.
Raley has lived in Delta for 29 years, and owned a business for 25. Through his business experience he learned to meet payroll, pay bills and deal with customers. Most recently, he was the county jail administrator for 11 years. He is now retired from the Delta County Sheriff's Department.
"The number one challenge I see is surviving in a time of tight money in a slow economy," he said.
"The next problem is dealing with saving the golf course.
"Our streets are getting in need of repair. The answer to all of these problems is to budget our money carefully.
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