ANDERSON - Although he says he has a doctor's recommendation to smoke medical marijuana, the on-site manager of a senior apartment complex here claims he was fired by its new Southern California-based management company after he failed its drug-screening test.
The firing of Christian Hughes, 33, who has two weeks in which to leave his apartment in the well-kept complex, has raised the ire of some of those senior citizens who live comfortably at the 81-unit Regency Place Senior Apartments on Red Bud Lane.
It's their home, they say. And Hughes is like family.
Sixty-eight-year-old Norene Faidley, a resident for longer than three years, says Hughes is much more than an on-site manager to many of them.
"Christian is our brother, our son, our grandson, and we love him," she said.
Faidley sent a letter to the owners of the apartment complex, MCA Housing Partners in Gardena, in hopes of saving Hughes' job. She described him as an excellent manager, as well as a trusted, thoughtful and caring friend.
"He cares about us and our concerns," she said. "No problem is too large or small, whether repairing an earring or eyeglasses to handling the unexpected illness or death of a resident."
She also sent a letter of support to the new San Diego-based management company, ConAm Management, which has a regional office in Roseville.
Andy Ladresh, the management company's senior regional vice president, said Wednesday that he was unable to speak in detail about the firing of Hughes due to employee-employers liability issues.
But, he said, not all of those residing at the apartment complex are sorry to see Hughes go.
"There are those who are happy about the change," he said, but declined to elaborate.
Sixty-four-year-old Diane Bethany, an apartment complex resident who started a petition drive that obtained about 60 signatures in support of Hughes, says she and many others there are upset by his firing.
"He's a terrific guy," she said, adding that he's always been protective of the residents and goes above and beyond his management duties to help them out.
"He's always there for us," she said, adding that his use of medical marijuana has never interfered with his job.
"We are all on prescriptions here," she said, adding that the drugs many of the seniors use are probably a lot more potent than the marijuana Hughes smokes for medical purposes.
Hughes, who has been the on-site manager for almost five years, said he obtained a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana about three years ago.
He smokes it as a relaxant and an appetite stimulant and to control pain from nagging injuries he suffered in a traffic wreck several years ago, he said.
"It helps me sleep at night," he said.
Hughes, who lives in his on-site apartment with his nearly 3-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, Sage, said management of the apartment complex changed around Thanksgiving.
Although the management company reassured them then that they wanted to keep existing employees, it said those employees would have to pass its mandatory drug-screening process, which required him to submit a follicle sample.
Hughes said he told the new management company from the get-go about his medical pot recommendation and had hoped to retain his job.
But, he said, he got his pink slip on Monday and was given two weeks to move out.
Although he's exploring possible options and has spoken with an attorney, Hughes said he doesn't want to leave and has been gratified by the support he's been shown by tenants.
"This has been a great job," he said, noting that property grounds, as well as the financial records for the apartment complex, are spotless.
"The property looks great," he said. "There's nothing wrong with it, except me, I guess."
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Redding Record Searchlight
Author: Jim Schultz
Contact: Redding Record Searchlight
Copyright: 2010 The E.W. Scripps
Website:Anderson senior apartment complex manager fired over medical marijuana use
The firing of Christian Hughes, 33, who has two weeks in which to leave his apartment in the well-kept complex, has raised the ire of some of those senior citizens who live comfortably at the 81-unit Regency Place Senior Apartments on Red Bud Lane.
It's their home, they say. And Hughes is like family.
Sixty-eight-year-old Norene Faidley, a resident for longer than three years, says Hughes is much more than an on-site manager to many of them.
"Christian is our brother, our son, our grandson, and we love him," she said.
Faidley sent a letter to the owners of the apartment complex, MCA Housing Partners in Gardena, in hopes of saving Hughes' job. She described him as an excellent manager, as well as a trusted, thoughtful and caring friend.
"He cares about us and our concerns," she said. "No problem is too large or small, whether repairing an earring or eyeglasses to handling the unexpected illness or death of a resident."
She also sent a letter of support to the new San Diego-based management company, ConAm Management, which has a regional office in Roseville.
Andy Ladresh, the management company's senior regional vice president, said Wednesday that he was unable to speak in detail about the firing of Hughes due to employee-employers liability issues.
But, he said, not all of those residing at the apartment complex are sorry to see Hughes go.
"There are those who are happy about the change," he said, but declined to elaborate.
Sixty-four-year-old Diane Bethany, an apartment complex resident who started a petition drive that obtained about 60 signatures in support of Hughes, says she and many others there are upset by his firing.
"He's a terrific guy," she said, adding that he's always been protective of the residents and goes above and beyond his management duties to help them out.
"He's always there for us," she said, adding that his use of medical marijuana has never interfered with his job.
"We are all on prescriptions here," she said, adding that the drugs many of the seniors use are probably a lot more potent than the marijuana Hughes smokes for medical purposes.
Hughes, who has been the on-site manager for almost five years, said he obtained a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana about three years ago.
He smokes it as a relaxant and an appetite stimulant and to control pain from nagging injuries he suffered in a traffic wreck several years ago, he said.
"It helps me sleep at night," he said.
Hughes, who lives in his on-site apartment with his nearly 3-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, Sage, said management of the apartment complex changed around Thanksgiving.
Although the management company reassured them then that they wanted to keep existing employees, it said those employees would have to pass its mandatory drug-screening process, which required him to submit a follicle sample.
Hughes said he told the new management company from the get-go about his medical pot recommendation and had hoped to retain his job.
But, he said, he got his pink slip on Monday and was given two weeks to move out.
Although he's exploring possible options and has spoken with an attorney, Hughes said he doesn't want to leave and has been gratified by the support he's been shown by tenants.
"This has been a great job," he said, noting that property grounds, as well as the financial records for the apartment complex, are spotless.
"The property looks great," he said. "There's nothing wrong with it, except me, I guess."
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Redding Record Searchlight
Author: Jim Schultz
Contact: Redding Record Searchlight
Copyright: 2010 The E.W. Scripps
Website:Anderson senior apartment complex manager fired over medical marijuana use
