After listening to comments from only one person during a public hearing Tuesday night, the Fort Morgan City Council voted unanimously to prepare an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city by a vote of the council.
The council had considered the possibility of putting the issue on the November ballot for a public vote, but several council members said they had received input from constituents who said they would prefer to see the city ban marijuana dispensaries on its own.
The one city resident who spoke during the public hearing, Timothy Morland, spoke in support of allowing medical marijuana facilities in Fort Morgan. No written comments were received.
Morland said he was a disabled veteran and licensed user of medicinal marijuana who must drive to Denver to get his prescription filled. He said it costs him about $80 a month for his medical marijuana.
"I grew up in this town, I like to spend my money here," Morland said. "I wish you guys would vote so that we could have at least one place around here where I could go."
After Morland spoke and the public hearing was closed, Councilman Brent Nation said Morland was the first person he had heard express anything along the lines of a need for a medical marijuana dispensary in the city.
"And I've gone out of my way to ask a lot of people, because I knew that most people wouldn't want to come and talk in this type of venue," Nation said. "One hundred percent of the people I talked to said they would prefer to see us ban it and not even take it to a (public) vote."
During earlier council meetings, City Attorney Jeffrey Wells had outlined the three options the council had on the issue, one of which was a ban on medical marijuana operations. This could be done by a vote of the council or by placing a question on the November ballot for voters to decide.
The other options were to develop local regulations governing the operation of businesses related to medical marijuana, or take no action and allow any local operations to fall under state regulations only.
The city has a moratorium in place now that will expire in September.
Wells said it was the city staff recommendation for the council to either direct staff to create local regulations or prepare an ordinance banning medicinal marijuana through either a public or a city council vote.
"I don't believe it's staff's recommendation that you allow the moratorium to lapse and let the state regulations regulate it, because essentially it would be wide open as to where a lot of the establishments could be placed within our community," Wells said.
Councilman James Powers said he was disappointed that there was not more public input during Tuesday's public hearing, but acknowledged that many people are probably not comfortable appearing at a meeting like that and speaking either for or against such an issue.
"However, all of my input from the citizens has been just to ban it and not have to worry about a vote of the people," Powers said.
Powers then made a motion to direct the city staff to present an ordinance banning the sale of medical marijuana in the city by a vote of the council, which was seconded by Nation and approved unanimously. Councilwoman Debra Forstedt was not present for Tuesday's meeting.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Fort Morgan Times
Author: JOHN BRENNAN
Contact: Fort Morgan Times
Copyright: 2010 MediaNews Group
Website: FM City Council to vote on medical marijuana ban
The council had considered the possibility of putting the issue on the November ballot for a public vote, but several council members said they had received input from constituents who said they would prefer to see the city ban marijuana dispensaries on its own.
The one city resident who spoke during the public hearing, Timothy Morland, spoke in support of allowing medical marijuana facilities in Fort Morgan. No written comments were received.
Morland said he was a disabled veteran and licensed user of medicinal marijuana who must drive to Denver to get his prescription filled. He said it costs him about $80 a month for his medical marijuana.
"I grew up in this town, I like to spend my money here," Morland said. "I wish you guys would vote so that we could have at least one place around here where I could go."
After Morland spoke and the public hearing was closed, Councilman Brent Nation said Morland was the first person he had heard express anything along the lines of a need for a medical marijuana dispensary in the city.
"And I've gone out of my way to ask a lot of people, because I knew that most people wouldn't want to come and talk in this type of venue," Nation said. "One hundred percent of the people I talked to said they would prefer to see us ban it and not even take it to a (public) vote."
During earlier council meetings, City Attorney Jeffrey Wells had outlined the three options the council had on the issue, one of which was a ban on medical marijuana operations. This could be done by a vote of the council or by placing a question on the November ballot for voters to decide.
The other options were to develop local regulations governing the operation of businesses related to medical marijuana, or take no action and allow any local operations to fall under state regulations only.
The city has a moratorium in place now that will expire in September.
Wells said it was the city staff recommendation for the council to either direct staff to create local regulations or prepare an ordinance banning medicinal marijuana through either a public or a city council vote.
"I don't believe it's staff's recommendation that you allow the moratorium to lapse and let the state regulations regulate it, because essentially it would be wide open as to where a lot of the establishments could be placed within our community," Wells said.
Councilman James Powers said he was disappointed that there was not more public input during Tuesday's public hearing, but acknowledged that many people are probably not comfortable appearing at a meeting like that and speaking either for or against such an issue.
"However, all of my input from the citizens has been just to ban it and not have to worry about a vote of the people," Powers said.
Powers then made a motion to direct the city staff to present an ordinance banning the sale of medical marijuana in the city by a vote of the council, which was seconded by Nation and approved unanimously. Councilwoman Debra Forstedt was not present for Tuesday's meeting.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Fort Morgan Times
Author: JOHN BRENNAN
Contact: Fort Morgan Times
Copyright: 2010 MediaNews Group
Website: FM City Council to vote on medical marijuana ban
