Pubdate: Thu, 31 Dec 2009
Source: Tribune, The (Greeley, CO)
Copyright: 2009sThe Greeley Publishing Co.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/2T4s2YlD
Website: http://www.greeleytribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3165
Note: Note: typically publishes LTEs from circulation area only
Author: Sherrie Peif
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

RECALL EFFORT TARGETS WINDSOR MAYOR

WINDSOR -- Bill Miller has had it with medical  marijuana, and he
plans to do something about it.

"What makes me most upset is that our mayor, who also  serves on the
school board and should be looking out  for the best interest of our
children, somehow couldn't  figure out a way to keep these out of here
until we  figured out what to do," he said.

Miller, 60, who moved to Windsor in April with his  wife, thinks he's
found the answer to his frustrations  by organizing a community group
to run the current  dispensary owners out of town and spearheading a
recall  effort against Mayor John Vazquez. Miller began the  recall
efforts Tuesday.

"What we've got is three businesses that have set down  roots here,"
Miller said. "And the mayor and the board  members have put this
community in that position."

Windsor recently passed a 75-day moratorium that  required three
separate votes and two meetings for the  board to pass. Board members
Nancy Weber, Richard  Drake, Michael Kelly and Matthew O'Neill
originally  voted to leave only one dispensary open during the
moratorium, but they eventually changed their vote to  allow a second
one so they could get the moratorium  passed.

It was a vote Vazquez said he struggled with to  maintain the
integrity of the town.

"Everything I've ever done since Day 1 of taking this  office, I've
believed in my heart of hearts that it's  been done for the best
interest of this community,"  Vazquez said. "I love this town. I can't
keep him from  doing what he wants to do, but I hope he doesn't get a
whole lot of attraction from it. The last thing this  board needs is a
whole lot of negative distraction. It  is what it is, but I'm not
going to lose sleep over  it."

But Miller's biggest focus in the interim is getting  rid of the
dispensaries that are open in Windsor. He  has organized a Jan. 7
community meeting at the Windsor  Community Recreation Center, 250 N.
11th St., to get  input and help in his effort. The room will hold 175
  people, but Miller, who paid the $170 rental tab out of  his own
pocket, hopes to draw more.

He said he would like to see the town stop future  dispensaries from
opening by banning their presence  entirely, similar to Greeley's ban.

He hopes the meeting will help him organize efforts to  get the
current three dispensaries to leave through  picketing, videotaping
customers going in and out of  the store and sitting in front of the
doors. He said  he'd love to see 300 people show up who want to help.
What he's hoping doesn't happen is that 175 people show  up but only
five want to help.

Tina Valenti, the owner of In Harmony Wellness, 4630  Royal Vista
Circle, said she was horrified by the idea.

"We are having a bunch of emotions right now," Valenti  said. "We feel
like this is an issue that has come to  the forefront since we've
opened. We've been open for  seven months with no issues, but now
we're being  painted with the radicals in town that have brought it
to the forefront. We are very upset. We want to be a  positive
contributing member to the public. And this is  not the foot we want
to go forward with with Windsor."

Valenti said she and partner Derek Cumings have been  working with the
town to help implement a model that is  positive for the community.
Valenti said she needs time  to figure out the legal ramifications of
what Miller is  proposing and how she will handle the possibility of
picketers and other methods of discouraging patients to  her business.

"It's really too bad," Valenti said. "It's a horrible
feeling."

Community Meeting

Bill Miller has scheduled a meeting for anyone who wants to get rid of
the medical marijuana dispensaries that are already open for business
while keeping more from locating in Windsor. He said the meeting is
not about debating the use of medical marijuana but finding
constructive ways to keep it out of Windsor. He also wants those
supporting a recall effort of Mayor John Vazquez to come and voice
their opinion. The meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 7 at the
Windsor Community Recreation Center, 250 N. 11th St. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D