MEEKER | Meeker resident Annie Long, who lives at the south end of Second Street, asked the Town to step up and do something about the Sulfur Creek Ditch at Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting.
“This is not working,” Long said, describing stinky mud, trash, garbage and mosquitos at the mouth of the ditch/canal. Long listed some of the trash she’s seen in the canal, adding, “All that [trash] is going into the river. We’re trying to draw people to the river and we’re polluting it.”
Long has come before the board in prior years about the same problem, but said it’s worse this year. The Town is responsible for maintenance, which is supposed to include an annual clean-out.
“She’s not exaggerating,’ said trustee Wendy Gutierrez. “It’s worse this year because the water came up.” Last year the Town’s public works department cleared out the weeds and the trash, but didn’t remove the mud, which has created a bottleneck effect.
Trustees directed staff to check into the situation with the Public Works department and report back at the next meeting.
Also at the July 18 meeting, Colorado CPA accountant Marlo Coates provided the 2022 financial audit, giving the Town’s financial records a clean bill of health.
Trustees approved transfers of a tavern license from Backdoor Bar and Grill to Caroline’s Louisiana Kitchen, and a retail liquor store license to SKT Jehorek LLC dba White River Liquor, as well as a liquor permit for the Fair Board to serve alcohol during the Jr. Livestock Sale buyers’ lunch on Aug. 5. Fair Board member Clint Shults said having the sale in the afternoon has proved beneficial.
Town Administrator Mandi Etheridge told the board there are two open seats available on the Meeker Housing Authority Board. Applications are available online and at Town Hall for the five-year terms. The 11th and 12th Street paving project is expected to mobilize on July 25, and one contractor attended the mandatory walkthrough for the Circle Park Riverfront Project.
In other business, the board:
– Approved a resolution appointing Amanda Smith to the Planning Commission
– Approved an amended fee schedule for the Town of Meeker, necessitated by the adoption of the revised Land Use Code in May that creation of some new regulations with applicable fees, such as ADUs and duplex conversion.
By Niki Turner | [email protected]
