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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 2015)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, December 16, 2015 POT opportunity ... to say Grant County wants to allow grow- ing of marijuana, growing in a process that Grant County governs and decides and con- trols.” On Dec. 14, Burns said, al- though the county cannot di- rectly tax marijuana growers, Chalice Farms would volun- teer to pay a 3-percent fee to the county. Continued from Page A1 any of the state tax revenue unless all four recreational marijuana business categories are allowed, but it has been mentioned in committee hear- ings as something to discuss further. Chiapella said a county or city may charge a 3-percent local tax but only on retail marijuana sales — not grow- ing, processing or wholesale operations. Eagle photos/Sean Hart Arguments for the ban In June, Ferrioli sponsored legislation allowing govern- ments to opt out of commer- cial operations by Dec. 27 if at least 55 percent of that county’s votes were against legalizing marijuana in 2014. The bill also allowed the gov- ernments to enact a temporary ban and refer the matter to the voters in November 2016 for a ¿nal decision. At the second hearing on the ordinance to opt out — or ban commercial operations — Grant County Commissioner Boyd Britton, speaking as a citizen, said he believed the county should enact the ban while it has the opportunity. “If we don’t do it now, we can never revisit it,” Britton said, adding the county could opt back in later. Britton said he did not be- lieve marijuana operations would be bene¿cial for the community. Kimberly resi- dent Leon Skiles said he con- curred with Britton. Larry Vote, who owns a ranch in Kimberly, pointed out marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal govern- ment. He said people can al- ready grow and use marijuana for personal use, and he did not believe commercial oper- ations were necessary. Sharon Livingston, Long Creek, said the percentage of county residents who voted against legalization in 2014 was signi¿cant and that the Tom Burns, who supervised the medical marijuana program for the Oregon Health Authority and spent six months directing the recreational program for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, answers questions from the County Commissioners at a public hearing about banning commercial marijuana operations at the Dec. 9 Grant County Court meeting. county should at least give the voters the opportunity to en- act a ban in 2016. County Judge Scott My- ers said all eight counties ad- jacent to Grant County had passed similar bans, and he did not want the county to be known as the hub for com- mercial marijuana. No one else at the hearing argued pot operations should be banned, but many said the county should allow at least some form of commercial op- erations. Arguments against the ban on growing Several people at the hear- ing stated their only request was for the county to allow the growing of marijuana — not retail sales. Jerry Russell, Kimberly, and Paul Cooper, Monument, who spoke at the ¿rst hearing, reiterated their concerns that the county should not prohibit them from growing a crop the state con- siders legal on their land. Before the hearing, Tom Burns, who supervised the medical marijuana program at the Oregon Health Authority and spent six months direct- ing the recreational marijua- na program for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, sent a letter to Myers on be- half of Portland-based mar- ijuana-growing company Chalice Farms. He wrote the farm supported the ban on re- tailers, processors and whole- salers, but the company has been legally growing medical marijuana in Grant County and desired to grow recre- ational pot as well. Burns attended the Dec. 9 hearing and answered ques- tions from the commission- ers. He said the law requires 24-hour video surveillance of grow sites and access roads and that police can enter the properties at any time with- out notice. He said outdoor sites are limited to one acre and must be fully enclosed by a fence at least eight feet tall. He said OLCC will not grant a growing license unless the county has approved a land use compatibility statement, for which the county can add additional stipulations, such as security and size require- ments. Burns said, in Portland, the application fee for the state- Janet Phillips says she uses medical marijuana to treat glaucoma and diabetic neuropathy. She says the commissioners don’t seem to understand the medical uses of marijuana. ment alone is $4,000. Burns said, with a 3-percent tax, the county could collect about $58,500 per acre of marijua- na grown annually, based on conservative estimates. He said Chalice Farms owns four tax lots in Grant County, each of which could have a one- acre site. Further, he said each site would require about ¿ve full-time employees — each of whom must pass a state background check — with an annual salary of about $25,000 each. “Chalice Farms is going to sell their product in Port- land and on the west side,” he said. “What you have in front of you now is an economic A continuation of the saga set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). (3:45) 6:45 9:35 Call today to make an appointment ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP PG 541-575-1063 The chipmunks try to stop Dave from proposing to his girlfriend. FRI-THURS (4:10) 7:10 Blue Mountain Chiropractic 9:40 BROOKLYN PG-13 Vacant Council Position (4:00) 7:00 9:45 $9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth 03212 An Irish immigrant in Brooklyn in the 1950s must choose between countries. FRI-THURS Arguments against the ban on medical marijuana Canyon City resident Jerry Barrow said, with the amount of time at the hear- ing devoted to marijuana growing, the forum appeared to be driven by special inter- ests. “You’re throwing the medical patients under the bus,” he said. At the previous hearing, Barrow argued many older marijuana patients would be forced to travel to Bend to procure their medicine if the county did not allow medical dispensaries. Janet Phillips said she uses medical marijuana to treat glaucoma and diabet- ic neuropathy. She said she must receive an annual veri- fication of her illness from a doctor to qualify for medical marijuana. “You just don’t under- stand the medical side of it,” she said. “I don’t take it so I can get so high I can see unicorns. I take it for glau- coma.” This holiday season, don’t let aches and pains slow you down. 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