Pubdate: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Source: Idaho Mountain Express (ID)
Copyright: 2012 Express Publishing, Inc
Contact:  http://www.mtexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2296
Author: Tony Evans

MARIJUANA COMMITTEE TO BE DISSOLVED

Twice-Yearly Meetings Would End

An oversight committee formed in the wake of initiatives passed by 
Hailey voters in 2008 to weaken marijuana laws in the city may soon 
be dissolved.

"We realized there is not very much else we can do unless there is a 
state referendum or the Legislature changes the laws about 
marijuana," said Marijuana Oversight Committee Chair Peter Lobb.

Mayor Fritz Haemmerle said he will hold a public hearing on Feb. 27 
to take comment on the issue, before the City Council votes on 
whether to dissolve the committee.

The initiatives allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes, 
legalized industrial hemp and made enforcement of marijuana laws the 
lowest priority for Hailey police.

The committee succeeded in 2010 in establishing marijuana use 
violations as the lowest police priority for the Hailey Police 
Department, but has since found little else to talk about or work toward.

Besides Lobb, the committee members are Tom Hickey, Steve England, 
Joanie Allen and Frank Halverson.

The City Council took the committee's recommendation to pass a lowest 
police priority ordinance in 2010 after committee Secretary and 
Hailey Police Lt. Steve England redacted ordinance language to reduce 
potential conflict with federal authorities, which could have reduced 
federal funding for the city.

"The Blaine County sheriff still has jurisdiction in Hailey and can 
enforce marijuana laws at any priority it chooses," Lobb said.

Lobb said that after the committee failed to meet the required number 
of times in 2011 (once every six months) he was asked by City 
Attorney Ned Williamson if it should be dissolved. Lobb said he 
polled the other members of the committee and found them in agreement 
that it should be.

Lobb told the Hailey City Council last week that state law would 
trump any further efforts by the committee to legalize or regulate 
marijuana use.

"We have an oversight committee with nothing to oversee," he said in 
an interview. "The 5th District Court threw out most everything from 
the three referendums, except the least priority, which Mayor Rick 
Davis did establish. It's a waste of time to keep meeting with nothing to do."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom