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Mendo Supes send Medical Marijuana Revisions Back To Committee
The vote was Carre Brown and John McCowen in favor of passage, and Supervisors Colfax, Pinches and Smith voting No. Board Chairman Pinches switched his vote from the previous reading of the revisions, partly due to the Board's failure to follow its own procedures by not having reviewed the ordinance as required.
Some Supervisors regard the revisions as clarifications and streamlining. The Medical Marijuana community view them as substantial encroachments on patient's and citizen's rights through creation of a shadowy new realm of Administrative punishment.
Proposed changes include a $100 per day fine if a Deputy Sheriff believes a violation exists and a cost of $ 1140 to file an appeal to the nuisance charges. There are lots more - summary abatement (instant eradication) would be authorized to be conducted based on the opinion of a Sheriff's Deputy.
Both the original MCC 9.31 and the proposed revisions will now be wrestled with by the Board's Health and Human Services Committee. The existing ordinance requires a twelve month review by the Board, which should have been completed by February 8 of this year, but has until now been ignored.
Today's action may also delay issuance of Sheriff Allman's Medical Marijuana serial numbered zip ties since the fee authorization for that program was included in the 9.31 revisions.
The Board's H&HS Committee meeting is scheduled to take this up on May 11th and the public is encouraged to attend and express themselves.