NEWS
BY MIKE BIVINS
WEED WORKER
PERMITS EASY
TO OBTAIN
I
f your New Year’s resolution involves quitting your
current job, you can now consider an array of jobs
within Oregon’s budding recreational marijuana in-
dustry. But before you can land that career you’ve only
ever dreamed about surrounded by the skunky scent of
weed, you must pass a multiple choice test, a background
check and then fork over $100 in order to secure a Marijua-
na Worker Permit from the Oregon Liquor Control Com-
mission (OLCC).
For an industry currently stifled by regulations, this $100
fee could prove prohibitive. Data provided by the OLCC
seem to support that assertion, as there are an almost equal
number of permits issued (4,303) as permits that have been
approved but not paid for, which stands at 4,288.
LANE COUNTY AREA
SPRAY SCHEDULE
However, the number of approved but unpaid permits
could also be attributed in part to a workaround for those
employed at a marijuana business licensed by the OLCC.
It is currently mandatory for the people operating an
OLCC licensed marijuana business to have their worker per-
mit, while their licensee’s employees need only to take the test
and obtain their permit “as soon as possible,” according to the
Marijuana Worker Permit FAQ on the OLCC’s website.
So while there’s no guarantee that an OLCC-licensed
business will hire you without your Marijuana Worker Per-
mit, not paying the fee may not hinder you at first either.
Hwy. 99 Cannabis Co.’s manager Tim Byars likens the
process to that of bartenders getting their OLCC server
permit. He says that the process has been “working fine”
for him and for the shop’s other four employees.
Byars notes that four out of the five currently have their
permit, but says that “as long as you are in the process of
getting it, you can work.”
Tippi Pollet, manager of Green Health Associates, says
that the Marijuana Worker Permit program is “working
fine” and that the process is “super easy.” Pollet also says
that the company paid for all of its employees’ permits, and
that the $100 fee “is a hindrance if you have to come up
with it, and if you don’t have a job.”
• Roseburg Resources Co, 679-3311, plans to
spray aminopyralid, metsulfuron methyl, clopyralid,
flumioxazin, glyphosate, hexazinone, imazapyr, indaziflam,
sulfometuron methyl, triclopyr, Forest Crop Oil, W.E.B.
Oil, Brush & Basal Oil, Conquer, Crop Oil Concentrate, MSO
Concentrate and/or Super Spread MSO on 178.3 acres near
Farman Creek between Simonsen Rd and Territorial Hwy.
See ODF continued notification 2016-781-10835 or call
While coming up with the $100 fee may not be easy, the
30-question test is.
This reporter needed less than an hour to read the man-
ual — available as a PDF on the OLCC’s website — and
pass the open-book test with a perfect score. Most of the
multiple-choice questions are easy, some with amusing an-
swers that are obviously incorrect.
Once those hurdles are cleared, the only thing left to do
is download the certificate of completion emailed by the
OLCC, snap a quick picture of the applicant’s photo ID
and attach both to the electronic permit application before
submitting it.
Less than 24 hours later, this reporter was informed via
email that the last obstacle to complete to get the permit was
doling out $100 to the OLCC, at which point the option to
download and then print the license becomes available.
The OLCC does not mail the license.
Mark Pettinger, the OLCC’s public affairs contact for
recreational marijuana, confirmed that employees may
continue to work as long as they are in the process of get-
ting the permit.
Pettinger did not respond before press time to a request
as just how long a time that grace period lasts before a
weed worker must pay the $100. ■
Brian Peterson at 541-935-2283 with questions.
• Brian Templeton Logging, 541-729-5111, plans to
harvest timber and spray glyphosate mostly on roads on a
total of 814.4 acres near Templeton Road this year. See ODF
notification 2017-781-00219, call Robin Biesecker at 541-
935-2283 with questions.
Compiled by Gary Hale, Forestland Dwellers: 541-342-8332, forestland-
dwellers.org
Oregon Department of Transportation;
Public Hearing/Open House
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
– Draft 2018 to 2021 STIP for Public Review
The open house will feature maps to view and handouts about selected projects.
ODOT staff will be on hand to answer questions and take comments. There will be
comment cards available to leave comments regarding specific projects.
MEETING DATE
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
MEETING TIME
Lane County ACT Open House 4:30-
5:15PM; followed by Lane
County ACT Meeting 5:30-7:00PM
MEETING NAME
Lane County Area Commission on
Transportation (Lane County ACT)
MEETING PLACE
Lane County Public Works Complex
3040 N Delta Hwy., Eugene, OR
Goodson Conference Room
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The meeting is open to the public for comment.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities. To request an accommodation,
please call John Maher the Region 2 STIP and Financial Plan Manager.
To view or comment on this document, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/
TD/STIP/STIP/DRAFT_STIP_18-21.pdf. You can also contact the Region 2 STIP and
Financial Plan Manager John Maher at John.D.MAHER@odot.state.or.us.
eugeneweekly.com • January 12, 2017
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