Huerfano County approves local marijuana cultivation license for TKJ with tax-related conditions

The Huerfano County Board of County Commissioners on June 10 approved a local marijuana cultivation license for the business applying under the names referenced in meeting materials (license cited as 25-003 in the packet), attaching conditions related to outstanding taxes and other compliance items.

County staff recommended approval with conditions intended to address tax delinquencies and outstanding administrative items. Sherry, a county staff member, told commissioners the applicant had met many regulatory requirements but still had past-due property and excise taxes and recommended approval “with some pending conditions” tied to those items.

The applicant’s representative, Keith Sprout, gave his address on the record and described the business’s local operations. “We do employ 11 working out county residents. Over the last 2 and a half years, we’ve paid a little over $700,000 in wages to work in our county residents,” Sprout said. He and other company representatives said they had taken steps to address taxes, including a cash payment and ongoing monthly remittances.

County staff and the packet materials documented multiple tax figures and payment steps. The materials referenced a total tax balance of $21,210.58 as of a county statement, an earlier past-due figure of about $19,234 and a $10,000 payment that had been offered; staff told commissioners those payments left a balance of roughly $9,002.34 at one point and that small remaining items (including a $5.94 charge) had been addressed in recent months. The transcript did not record a single definitive final payoff amount or a single completed reconciliation; staff stated the business was making payments and working to bring accounts current.

Commissioners attached a condition that outstanding taxes and any required paperwork be brought current before full issuance of the county license. The transcript and floor discussion did not record a specific calendar deadline for final payment; commissioners discussed timing in general terms but did not specify a date in the public record. The approved local license is separate from the state marijuana license process and references an existing conditional use permit noted in staff comments.

The county indicated in the meeting packet and during discussion that the business had otherwise met local regulatory requirements cited by staff, including security camera retention consistent with state rules and water-rights documentation on file.

Ending: The board’s conditional approval allows the business to continue through the county licensing steps once the tax and paperwork conditions are satisfied. Staff said they would follow up with the applicant on the outstanding items and return to the board if additional action is required.