Briefs Mt. Crested Butte

by Alissa Johnson

Liquor license for BWC Café

The Mt. Crested Butte Town Council approved a conditional liquor license for the BWC Café on January 5. The BWC Café operates in the space formerly occupied by Camp 4 at Mountaineer Square. The proceeds from the café will benefit the Biery-Witt Center.

Woody Sherwood, executive director of the Biery-Witt Center, explained that the addition of wine and beer sales is not intended to change the feel of the coffee shop or turn it into a bar.

“We’re not trying to change the tenor of the operation,” he said, indicating that it was an effort to attract groups who want both specialty coffees or cocoas and a glass of wine.

“We’re not anticipating that it will be a huge game changer in terms of the business model,” he continued.

Councilmember Gary Keiser said adding wine and beer to the Ten Peaks Camp 4 location had greatly increased business for Camp 4 Coffee owner Al Smith. “It significantly increased their business. Not liquor business… but they got so much other business from the people who came in with somebody who wanted a beer,” he said.

Due to holiday travel, fulfilling some of the requirements for the liquor license had been delayed. The council approved the license, pending the completion of those requirements, which were still pending as of February 3.

A job well done

Public works supervisor Bobby Block received special recognition from Montrose public works director John Harris. Block completed the Colorado Public Works Institute, and Harris wanted to let the town council know they had a great employee. “I would commend you for investing in the future of Mt. Crested Butte,” he said.

Water flows in Prospect

In January, town manager Joe Fitzpatrick told the council that the intergovernmental agreement with the Mt. Crested Butte Water & Sanitation District does require notification in an event such as the pump failure discovered last Labor Day. The pump failure resulted in adequate water flows to fight fires in portions of Prospect Homestead Subdivision and played a role in delaying the opening of the Umbrella Bar at Ten Peaks.

Town staff did not learn of the situation, which affected water flows at hydrants and in sprinkling systems, until a few months later.

It took until mid-January for the repairs to be completed. At a January 19 council meeting, community development director Carlos Velado confirmed that, “everything is now running properly so we can respond properly in case of emergency.”