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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 2018)
30 Wednesday, July 25, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon MARIJUANA: Council likely to refer matter to voters Continued from page 1 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Resolution 2018-14 would approve referral to the voters of the City the question of allowing marijuana establish- ments within the city limits. Resolution 2018-15 would refer to voters the question of imposing a 3 percent tax on the sale of marijuana items within the city limits. Both resolutions, if approved, will appear as ballot measures on the November 2018 general election ballot. Despite the fact that Sisters voters approved State Measure 91 in 2014, mak- ing recreational marijuana legal, with a 51-49 percent split in favor, and the mea- sure carried statewide, Mayor Chuck Ryan told Council at their March 14, workshop he thinks lots of things have changed since that vote. “I think we owe it to the public to put it (allowing marijuana businesses) to a vote,” Ryan said in March. Councilor Andrea Blum suggested at that same meet- ing, “We need to take the temperature of the commu- nity again.” “I always hate it when government makes a deci- sion for the people,” said Councilor Richard Esterman. He agreed the people should get to vote. “When this many people show up (indicating a full chamber) we need to vote.” Council President Nancy Connolly countered that she had been out in the commu- nity talking to a wide range of citizens. Many of them support allowing marijuana- related businesses in town but they don’t attend the pub- lic meetings to speak in favor due to the stigma attached to marijuana by some people. Councilor David Asson did not want to see a vote because the results would be “unpredictable.” He would rather have the citizens express their thoughts and feelings thoroughly at that time in public meetings and not wait until November for a vote. Although voters said yes to recreational marijuana in 2014, they did vote down amending the City code to allow medical marijuana dis- pensaries, indicating mixed reactions to marijuana in this community. Ballot measure 9-101 was defeated 42.38 percent for medical mari- juana dispensaries to 57.62 percent against. Even though recreational marijuana is legal state- wide, the previous Council maintained the status quo by relying on the word- ing in the City’s business license application to keep marijuana-related businesses from opening in Sisters. The current wording states that no business will be issued a license if what it does is against any local, state, or Federal law. Marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Federal government and therefore, a banned substance. If Federal law were to change, as things currently stand, Sisters would no lon- ger be able to deny business licenses to marijuana busi- nesses on the grounds of not being federally legal. I always hate it when government makes a decision for the people. When this many people show up we need to vote. — Richard Esterman Since the March 2018 meeting, Council, in an attempt to be fully informed, examined current City and state codes as well as pro- posed bills at both the state and Federal levels regarding marijuana production, pro- cessing, sales, and taxation that could impact Sisters’ cur- rent stance. They have also toured facilities and retail establishments in other cities to observe and ask questions. And they have heard from their legal counsel regarding appropriate wording of the ballot measures. If marijuana businesses, in any format, are allowed in the city, the Development Code must be amended to autho- rize specific marijuana busi- nesses in specific areas. New regulations regarding time, place and manner of sale (TPMs) are currently being created for the Development Code, which would go before the Planning Commission for review and approval and then to the City Council for adoption. TPMs regulate things such as where retail outlets or growing and processing oper- ations may be located, dis- tance from parks and schools, and which areas or streets of town. They also regulate hours of operation, signage, appearance of storefronts, and elimination of processing and growing odors and waste. By developing TPMs now, before the November elec- tion, should voters approve the ballot measure to allow marijuana businesses in Sisters, the regulations will be in place as of day one. If voters defeat the ballot mea- sure, and at some time in the future the Federal govern- ment legalizes marijuana, the regulations will then already be in place. Former superidteddedt fired id Albady Former Sisters Schools Superintendent Jim Golden has been fired from Greater Albany Public Schools, according to a report from the Albany Democrat-Herald. The paper reported that “Members of the Albany School Board voted unani- mously in a special meeting Thursday (July 12) to ter- minate Superintendent Jim Golden’s employment con- tract, based on unspecified charges provided to him in writing on May 21.” The issues surrounding Golden’s termination report- edly center around alleged instances of “gross insubor- dination, neglect of duty and conduct seriously prejudicial to the district.” Golden reportedly vigor- ously challenged the accu- sations and The Democrat- Herald reports that Golden’s attorney has said that he plans to sue for damages. Links to Albany Demo- crat-Herald coverage of the termination may be found at www.nuggetnews.com. 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