Nostalgia time is over – it’s onward into 2017 ... and whatever it may bring to Southwest Colorado
While breaking news is unpredictable, area residents can expect to hear about perennial issues, such as affordable housing and student testing.
New faces will appear in courtrooms, on City Council and at police headquarters. An initial plan for Superfund cleanup at the Bonita Peak Mining District near Silverton will be unveiled, laying out work that could continue for years.
And annual celebrations and festivals will return.
Here are some of the issues and events we expect to write about in the new year:
NEW FACES: Chief District Judge Gregory Lyman is retiring after 20 years on the bench. His departure means District Judge Jeffrey Wilson will become the new chief judge of the 6th Judicial District, which includes Archuleta, San Juan and La Plata counties. Todd Norvell, a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Durango, was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper to fill the vacancy created with Lyman’s retirement.
And the remodel at the courthouse where they work should finished in early 2017, allowing courtroom and office space for the U.S. District Court, U.S. Probation and U.S. Marshal’s Office as well as the 6th Judicial District.
The District will have a new district attorney with the uncontested election of Christian Champagne, who is assistant district attorney and a champion of restorative justice. And if that weren’t enough changes, the city of Durango expects to hire a new chief of police this spring after the retirement last year of Chief Jim Spratlen.
Durango City Council and City Manager Ron LeBlanc expect the new chief to restructure the department.
LeBlanc would like the chief to use data to guide when and how officers patrol. For example, more officers would be on-duty when there are more 911 calls.
He also would like civilian staff to help with tasks that don’t require a badge.
MURDER TRIALS: Four men suspected of breaking into a house to rob a Fort Lewis College student of his marijuana and cash face trial for their role in the May 24 shooting death of Samuel Gordon. Police arrested Kuauhtleko Garcia, 21, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and three Phoenix men – Kodi “Maz” E. Kuauhtli, 19, Daniel Nelson Wright, 20, and Alvin Noel Flores, 22, as they left the SkyRidge subdivision minutes after the shooting. Inside their rental car, police found stationary paper with a map of the road system in SkyRidge and a rough sketch of what appeared to be the floor plan of the house on the flip side.
MOM CHARGED: A heart-breaking story about a Durango mother charged with careless driving causing death should play out in the courts this year. Neysha Candelaria, 32, also is charged with seat belt violations for the five children who were in her van without proper restraints. Her 8-year-old daughter, Mia Martinez, died in the April 18 crash on La Plata Highway (Colorado Highway 140), two miles north of the New Mexico state line.
ELECTION: City Council election will be in April for three board seats.
Mayor Christina Rinderle is term-limited and cannot run again. Councilor Keith Brant does not intend to run for a second term, but Councilor Dean Brookie plans to run for another four-year term.
Councilors Sweetie Marbury and Dick White are not up for re-election.
Also, there could be a question on the ballot about whether the city should continue to fluoridate its water.
ESCALANTE DRIVE: Construction of the long-awaited extension of Escalante Drive to connect Wal-Mart and Home Depot could start in 2017.
The developer of the recently approved 194-unit apartment complex may build the road, with adjacent property owners who would benefit paying a share. The road would provide access to the new apartment complex and a new Goodwill Industries.
It also is expected to improve traffic flow and replace the frontage road.
SEWAGE PLANT: Construction on the sewage treatment plant should begin in June.
It is expected to take three years and consume a portion of Santa Rita Park, including the sand volleyball courts. Construction crews also will use the field along U.S. Highway 550/160 for staging.
The city was approved for a $62.5 million loan to pay for the project at the plant and other projects within the system. It will ensure the city’s ability to meet the state permit for the removal of nitrogen, phosphorous and ammonia. It also will allow for future growth.
HOUSING SHORTAGE: A perennial issue, the city will continue to grapple with its affordable housing shortage.
The planning department expects to finish an update to the comprehensive plan before the Durango City Council election in April.
A housing plan with recommendations for possible revisions to the city’s land-use code will likely follow.
For example, the city could lower the number of parking spaces required to build new housing to encourage developers to build.
Any changes must be approved by Durango City Council.
PLANS AND CODEs: A firm hired by the county will spend the year rewriting the land-use code, which is expected to make the commercial permitting process easier for businesses to understand and follow.
Planning officials are expected to complete revisions to the comprehensive land-use plan within the first quarter of 2017. The county will then consider planning districts and zoning.
In 2017, the county will see the tangible effects of the downturn in oil and gas production. For the first time in 11 years, the property tax will drop from the leading revenue source for the county to third largest.
OUTLOOK: The economic outlook for La Plata County next year is mixed. “We have some good signals, we have some bad signals,” said Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance.
Unemployment across the county remains low and major employers are planning for growth. But the county faces an ongoing housing shortage and uncertainty about changes the incoming presidential administration might make to oil and gas regulation, health care reform and infrastructure funding.
“There are some big proposals that are floating out there that could have a noticeable impact,” Zalneraitis said.
If the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, is reformed, it could lower health care costs for employers. But changes to insurance coverage could also impact the health care industry in the county, which as been steadily growing.
It is possible that BP might increase its dilling in the San Juan Basin. BP Lower 48 CEO Dave Lawler told Oil and Gas Investor in September that the company may have another 270 horizontal wells to drill in the San Juan Basin and 1,600 in Mancos Shale locations.
Major employers in a variety of industries including the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Vantiv and Mercy Regional Medical Center are planning for growth.
SUPERFUND BEGINS: In September, the Environmental Protection Agency officially listed 48-mining sites around Silverton as part of the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund listing, which seeks to improve water quality in the Animas River watershed. In 2017, the EPA has said it will announce a more comprehensive plan to address the mining sites after an extensive sampling and research effort in 2016. The plan will set the tone for how the EPA expects to address the complex basin, answering many questions on what the agency deems as a viable cleanup. The EPA has upheld its promise to involve local communities, officials say, and the agency expects to continue that effort in 2017.
BATTLE AT WOLF CREEK: In the new year, there could be significant strides in the battle over the Village at Wolf Creek, where for more than 30 years developers have tried to build a city the size of Aspen atop the remote mountain pass.
In 2017, a judge is expected to decide whether the U.S. Forest Service was in the right when it approved a 2015 land exchange that would provide the developer, billionaire B.J. “Red” McCombs,” access to the area. A coalition of environmental groups filed an opening brief in the fall in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, and all documents and arguments are expected to be in the hands of Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch by Feb. 2, 2017.
GRAZING DECISION: U.S. Forest Service district ranger for the Columbine station Matt Janowiak said he will announce in January a final decision on whether there will be continued domestic sheep grazing in the Weminuche Wilderness. It was announced in February that the forest services’ preferred action is to allow sheep grazing, with some restrictions.
SCIENCE HALL: After $35.3 million and 10 years of planning, lobbying the state and construction, Fort Lewis College students will be pursue learning in the state-of-the art Geosciences, Physics and Engineering Hall when school resumes Jan. 9.
NEW TAX MONEY: An additional $1.7 million will begin to come into Durango School District 9-R’s coffers with 2017 property tax collection, and will be shared with Durango’s two charter schools, Animas High and Mountain Middle, on a per-pupil basis. The district will use the additional money to ensure safe, effective, innovative learning environments and infrastructure; allowing schools to provide more individualized learning; maintain class sizes; and maintain the ability to attract, retain and train high-quality staff.
Bayfield School District closed on its sale of $28.7 million worth of bonds on Dec. 15, and design work for a new elementary school for grades 3-5 and renovation of Bayfield Elementary School is underway. The district expects to renovate administrative offices in Bayfield Elementary in summer 2017 and continue into the 2017-18 school year. It would like to start work on the new school in the spring. The next workshop on the projects is set for Jan. 18.
Herald staffers Shane Benjamin, Katie Chicklinski-Cahill, John Livingston, Sue McMillin, Jessica Pace and Jonathan Romeo contributed to this report.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Ouray Ice Festival: Jan. 19-22 in Ouray, ourayicepark.com/ouray-ice-festival. The 22nd annual Ouray Ice Festival will showcase some of the best outdoors athletes in the world at the mecca of ice climbing in the U.S.
Snowdown: Feb. 1-5. This year’s theme is Intergalactic, snowdown.org.
Durango Film Festival: March 1-5, durangofilm.org.
Durango Celtic Festival: March 9-12, durangocelticfestival.com.
23rd annual Bluegrass Meltdown: April 21-23, durangomeltdown.com.
2017 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic: May 26-28, ironhorsebicycleclassic.com.. The 47th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic will present a few changes and additions to the schedule. Olympian Howard Grotts, a native of Durango, will compete in the race, giving 2016 champion Payson McElveen and the other top contenders a formidable challenge.
Animas River Days: June 3, facebook.com/Animas-River-Days-114549285231054.
Music in the Mountains: July 9-30. musicinthemountains.com.
2017 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run: July 14 in Silverton, hardrock100.com. The best ultra runners in the world will descend on Silverton for the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run, with the best women’s field in history set to challenge two-time defending champion Anna Frost. Three-time winner Kilian Jornet of Spain is expected to return for a fourth consecutive year, and 2016 co-champion Jason Schlarb of Durango will be back to compete in the race famous for being “wild and tough.”
Thirsty 13 Half Marathon: Aug. 26, thirsty13durango.com
San Juan Brewfest: 1-5 p.m. Aug. 26, Buckley Park, facebook.com/sanjuanbrewfest.
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 25th anniversary: Sept. 1-4, Ignacio, fourcornersmotorcyclerally.com.
