Hearing officer renews Rocky Mountain Blaze license with required monthly payment plan

A Pueblo County hearing officer on Aug. 26 authorized the renewal of JJ Enterprises’ liquor and marijuana license, doing business as Rocky Mountain Blaze (License No. 402R00444), on the condition the business follow a newly reset payment plan to retire an outstanding sales-tax balance. The officer told the licensee to begin monthly payments in September and said the county would issue a written amended order to formalize the terms.

The hearing officer said, "What I'm gonna do is authorize the renewal of the license with the caveat. We're gonna reset the payment plan starting now. Monthly starting with September, you'll pay 1,900 at at least." County staff had earlier documented a recent $2,000 payment made on Aug. 20 and reported a current outstanding balance for the business. Miss Spangler told the hearing, "They made an additional $2,000 payment on the balance, and that was, on on the August 20." County staff also confirmed on the record that a previously assessed $4,000 fine had been paid in full.

The licensee's representative said the business has been applying available revenue to bring the account current and that ongoing monthly tax filings have been kept up to date. The representative told the hearing, "we're just gonna continue to chip away at this thing and not stop... once there's extra cash money, we're gonna throw whatever we can at it just to get it done." He also said the business is working with a prospective buyer and that the goal remains to transfer the license once the account is in good standing.

Under the hearing officer's conditions, the monthly installment to reduce the back balance is separate from ongoing monthly taxes, which must still be filed and paid by the 20th of each month. The officer warned that if a required monthly installment is missed, "it'll be a $2,000 fine. It will not be suspended." The hearing officer directed staff to prepare and send a written amended order reflecting the payment plan and standard compliance language requiring continued tax compliance for 12 months.

The first installment under the new schedule was set for Sept. 20. The hearing record was closed after the officer confirmed that staff would issue the written order and monitor compliance.