The Cortez City Council approved an ordinance regulating medical marijuana centers within city limits -- despite objections from three industry workers to limiting the number of centers. Paul Coffey, owner of Beacon Wellness Group, said he agrees with the ordinance, but not the part that restricts the number of medical marijuana businesses within the city limits to three. "Why not allow people the potential to invest in our community," he said. "They may fail, but their money stays here. ... Why restrict the potential of $600,000 to $800,000 coming into this community, just because we're not sure what number this community will sustain?" [continues 601 words]
Cortez Medical Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee starts After more than an hour of deliberations Tuesday, the new Cortez Medical Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee made a vote -- deciding where to start. The committee is charged with the daunting task of determining the best medical marijuana policy for Cortez to recommend to the city council. With federal and state policies toward medical marijuana continually shifting underfoot, the committee must determine what, if any, municipal regulations to throw into the mix. Although other Colorado municipalities have taken their own approaches to the issue, it is plausible the committee could enter uncharted waters for public policy. [continues 538 words]
City Continues Work to Form Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee The Cortez City Council interviewed four more candidates for an ad-hoc medical marijuana advisory committee at a workshop meeting Tuesday. Patricia Grant told the council she is always interested in participation in government and hopes to be on the committee to get some answers on the regulation of medical marijuana, which is legal in Colorado. "The camel is getting its nose under the tent," Grant said. "The best way to control it is don't have it." [continues 545 words]
Cortez city officials are looking for community members interested in the medical marijuana issue to serve on an ad-hoc advisory committee assembling to explore potential regulations of the industry and their impacts on the community. City Manager Jay Harrington said the committee will advise the city council on what to do with medical marijuana policy. The group could make a wide range of recommendations - from only allowing existing medical marijuana centers to operate, to a licensing system similar to liquor sale, to an all-out ban on centers within the city limits. [continues 451 words]
City Might Extend Moratorium on Medical Pot Sites Cortez City Council members might decide to hold their ground as the tectonic plates of state and federal medical marijuana policy continually shift underfoot. Up for first reading tonight is a proposed ordinance to extend a moratorium preventing any further grow facilities and medical marijuana retailers - now known as "medical centers" - from opening in Cortez. City Attorney Mike Green and City Manager Jay Harrington suggested the moratorium extension until July 2012 to the council at a May 10 workshop meeting, saying the city should wait to take further action until state and federal policy settle into place and a licensing system is established. [continues 633 words]
Local law enforcement officials are scraping together money as grants funding the 22nd Judicial District Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force threaten to dry up. "We have been able to save some grants," Roy Lane, Cortez Police Department chief and task force board member said. "Hopefully, that'll keep the doors open a little longer." A majority of funding for the program comes from federal grants. Two grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, totalling $98,000 are set to expire Sept. 30. In addition, a one-time $133,280 grant from two years ago is nearly depleted, Lane said. [continues 439 words]
