After a lengthy discussion about committee appointments and open meetings during its work session on Feb. 9, the Cedaredge trustees turned their attention to the Feb. 16 regular meeting.

The first item scheduled is a public hearing for a hotel/restaurant liquor license application for High Mountain Enterprises, LLC, dba The Cedaredge Lodge, owned by Gary and Donna Allen and located at 810 N. Grand Mesa Drive.

The town has received one letter of opposition to the Allens' application.

Items designated for action during the meeting include:

• The liquor license application from the Allens;

• Budgeting $31,000 of Main Street Improvement Project monies to fix the drainage problems and replace the asphalt on NW 9th St. (1,300 feet to the north of NW Cedar Ave.) and NW Cedar Ave. (635 feet to the west of NW 9th St.);

• Confirm the Request for Proposals from various professional engineering services, and to confirm or reject the recommendation by Public Works Director David Smith to continue the services of JVA Consulting, Inc., to create planning documents based on the evaluation of the existing wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) and anticipated effluent limits; and

• A resolution to accept the Highway User Tax Fund report.

One item scheduled for action is an application for an alternate point of diversion at the headgate of the Alfalfa Ditch from the Butte and Fogg Ditch companies. It spawned a major discussion during the work session about the Alfalfa Ditch, which runs through the golf course and is "adjacent to private and public property." According to the application, the requested diversion (via the Alfalfa Ditch), has been taken place informally for years.

A memo to the trustees from town administrator Kathleen Sickles states, "Although the application appears to be a formal process to approve an informal practice, my concern is regarding maintenance easements and necessary maintenance regarding the impact of 139.67 c.f.s. over time, to the improved private  and public property adjacent to the Alfalfa Ditch, the consequences of high run off and liability to town structures intersecting the Alfalfa Ditch."

Sickles also noted that the walking trail along the creek and maintained by the town is being used for vehicular access to the diversion area.

At the Feb. 16 meeting the council will determine if the town should produce a Verified Statement of  Opposition, stating why the application should not be granted or why it should only be granted in part. According to the memo the town has until the last day of February to file the Statement of Opposition with the Water Clerk's office, Water Division 4, in Montrose.

Trustees were given detailed information regarding prior right's-of-way, encroachment and maintenance easements for the Alfalfa Ditch, Fruitgrowers Dam Project to consider.

The last item scheduled for action during the Feb. 16 meeting involves election by the Town of Cedaredge "to either charge a sales tax on all [including golf carts] short term rentals or to pay the sales tax upon the purchase of the asset [in this case golf carts] underlying the short term rental."

It was also noted that Cedaredge residents interested in running for mayor or a seat on the board of trustees  during the April 3 election can begin circulating their nomination petitions on Monday, Feb. 13.