Pubdate: Tue, 06 Apr 2010
Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO)
Copyright: 2010 The Pueblo Chieftain
Contact:  http://www.chieftain.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613
Author: Peter Roper

COUNCIL HEARS BID FOR MEDICAL POT OVERSIGHT

Novice corporation offers to monitor marijuana  dispensaries for
city.

Like cities across the state, Pueblo City Council has  been waiting
for the Legislature to make decisions on  just how cities are supposed
to license and oversee  medical marijuana dispensaries.

It's a fast-changing industry and council got another  reminder of
that Monday night when a fledgling  corporation called First American
Repository of Medical  Marijuana made the city an unexpected proposal
- -- to be  the licensing, education and quality control agency for  the
marijuana growers and dispensaries in the city.

"We'd be fulfilling a role outside what the city would  normally do,"
Charles T. Houghton, a Colorado Springs  lawyer, explained during
council's work session Monday  night.

Council has a moratorium on licensing dispensaries  until June 1 and
City Manager Jerry Pacheco said city  staff is closely monitoring what
the Legislature  decides about regulating the medical marijuana
industry. But Houghton's proposal to have a private,  for-profit
corporation step in to create a regulatory  agency for the city was
greeted with obvious  skepticism.

"Are you proposing to be a fourth party in this  process?" Councilman
Steve Nawrocki quizzed Houghton  and Brian Lee, who owns a dispensary
in Colorado  Springs and serves on that city's marijuana task force.

Houghton explained that FARMM would license growers in  the city,
track the number of plants they could legally  possess, check the
quality of the marijuana grown and  be "the eyes and ears" for the
city and law enforcement  -- "So they know the good guys from the bad
guys."

Councilwoman Vera Ortegon asked what qualified Houghton  and Lee, or
any of FARMM staff, to do that job for the  city? Houghton
acknowledged that Pueblo would be the  first client for the new
corporation, but pointed out  the Legislature is not moving quickly to
provide cities  with any licensing guidance and may stop short of
providing all the guidance city councils would like.

Councilwoman Judy Weaver responded the city could  extend its
moratorium if necessary while council  decides what regulations are
necessary.

On other matters, Pacheco passed out a memorandum to  council
explaining what grants the city is pursuing  from Great Outdoors
Colorado, the trust fund created by  Colorado Lottery profits. Last
week, the GOCO board  announced $24 million in grants, spread over 23
projects across the state, but none were in Southern  Colorado.

The memo given to council noted the city had received  GOCO funding
for the $2.3 million Lake Minnequa project  and staff is pursuing more
grants for the second phase  of that park project. In addition, the
city has  obtained GOCO funding for projects along the Fountain  Creek
corridor, including a planning grant for a trail  system that will
extend from Eighth Street south to the  confluence with the Arkansas
River.

The city is also seeking GOCO funding for improvements  in City
Park.

City planners said needed work at the Honor Farm would  also be
eligible for GOCO funding, including fencing  off the perimeter,
improving park entrance stations and  other infrastructure. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D