Pubdate: Sat, 08 May 2010
Source: Mount Shasta Herald (CA)
Copyright: 2010 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.mtshastanews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3515
Author: Ami Ridling
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

DUNSMUIR CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECOMES HEATED

Dunsmuir, Calif. - Chaos erupted at the close of the Dunsmuir City 
Council  meeting Thursday when Mayor Peter Arth refused to allow 
Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department Detective Darrel  Lemos to speak 
at the podium about the council's  anticipated medical marijuana 
cultivation ordinance.

Sgt. Karl Houtman was also present at the meeting, as  was Dunsmuir 
city attorney John Kenny.

The cultivation ordinance was briefly touched on at the  beginning of 
the meeting when the council addressed its  plan to organize a 
subcommittee to devise a list of  medical marijuana cultivation 
regulations for council  consideration. However, it was not on the 
agenda for  action or discussion.

During the meeting, while the council was addressing a  separate 
agenda item that was related to medical  marijuana (during which Arth 
had recused himself and  left council chambers), a number of 
attendees spoke  during the public comment period about the 
cultivation  ordinance.

Council member Mario Rubino reminded attendees that the  council was 
addressing a different issue, and he said  that the cultivation topic 
would be addressed later.

At the end of the meeting, resident Sandy Raine asked  why the 
council did not address the cultivation  ordinance that Rubino had 
stated would be discussed  later. She noted that a number of 
attendees stayed until the close of the meeting for the purpose 
of  hearing more information about the matter.

Council members responded that there had been a  misunderstanding, as 
the cultivation ordinance issue  was not on the agenda.

During this time, Lemos began approaching the podium to  speak. 
However, Arth denied Lemos the opportunity to  speak on the grounds 
that the cultivation ordinance  topic was not on the agenda, that the 
public comment  period was closed, and that the council had already 
agreed to organize a subcommittee to devise cultivation  regulation 
recommendations for council consideration.

Arth's statement aroused uproar from attendees, who  wanted Lemos to 
be permitted to speak.

"Let him speak!" a number of them exclaimed.

"I'm really tired of these hand-selected  subcommittees," said Raine. 
She noted that  representatives from the sheriff's department, who 
are knowledgeable about federal and state laws and  regulations, 
should be involved in the cultivation  ordinance process. She said a 
public notice should be  published to notify the community about the 
organization of the subcommittee to allow residents to  have a chance 
to participate rather than have the  council hand-pick its members.

Following repeated poundings by Arth's gavel, Sgt. Karl  Houtman 
asked city attorney Kenny if Arth should recuse  himself from this 
segment of the meeting.

"It's not on the agenda. They (council members) can't  hear it," 
responded Kenny.

Kenny's comment was met with more grumblings.

Arth told Houtman to direct his questions and comments  to him, as he 
was the one chairing the meeting. "You  are supposed to be assisting 
me, sir," he said.

More groans from the crowd ensued.

"This whole city council is pathetic," said Raine.

"I have lived here for forty years, and I have never  seen a city 
council run business like this," commented  Bunny Steele.

"Everybody, cool your jets," said Arth. "This will be a  subcommittee issue."

The anticipated medical marijuana cultivation ordinance  had been 
addressed by the Dunsmuir Planning Commission  on the previous night.

When the ordinance is drafted, it will go before the  planning 
commission for approval. Once it is passed by  the commission, it 
will go before the city council for  adoption.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom