The long awaited opening of the new Chipotle in the Ashland Commons on East Main Street has been delayed.

The restaurant’s original opening date was set to take place in May 2017, but problems have arisen since that original announcement in December 2016.

The work on the project was stalled because of permits and contracting issues, however, concerns about local workers not being paid was confronted at an Ashland City Council meeting on July 18.

Councilwoman Sandra Tunnell brought up the issue in the meeting concerned about the Chipotle location holding a liquor license, but being closed and unable to open until further notice.

The developers of the property, Meridian Realty Capital, had allegedly not paid Simonson Construction Services for the work they had done.

The director of development for Meridian Realty Capital, Christopher Wiest, spoke to the Richland Source explaining the situation.

Wiest explained that there were originally delays in receiving permits which put the opening schedule back a bit.

In addition, there were contractors before Simonson Construction Services who filed liens, a legal right granted to secure payment of a service, against Meridian after they did what Meridian considered poor quality work.

The liens caused further funds to be held by Meridian’s construction lender, so they could not pay Simonson Construction Services.

The payments were never ignored or forgotten about, they were just delayed while Meridian Realty Capital worked out issues with the previous contractors.

Wiest told the Richland Source that Simonson Construction Services have been paid and some work has continued.

Once everything for both contractors is processed in court, development can resume.