Ludington City Council Meeting, October 28, 2019: Throwing Rocks in Grass Houses

[XLFD]

The October 28, 2019 meeting was impressively light on contents in the agenda, which highlighted the one issue to (possibly) be resolved that has been mulled over by the Ludington City Council for nearly a year: whether to maintain the city's position to opt-out of recreational marijuana facilities in the city limits or opt-in in some manner.

Because of this, the two other ordinances considered and approved unanimously without controversy were secondary in public scrutiny, being the acceptance of three year contracts with a floor mat cleaning company and one providing services to area senior citizens. The late agenda add-on of two zoning board of appeals members also paled in comparison. I even decided to drop my second comment due to it seeming mostly out of place, because of the giant marijuana ape in the room demanding attention.

After the meeting's early formalities were concluded, the public comments began with Gordon MacDougall (Henry's dad) contending with vaping and Steve Von Pfahl's marijuana statistics on opioids and suicides (at 4:00 in). Melissa Boggs followed with an analysis of the city's marijuana report, and how there was too many unknowns in the research. Her concerns centered around the health issues, AMA's determinations, and urged the council not to rush.

Robert Hynes followed by being skeptical of the AMA and its opinions, and questioned why should we keep marijuana in the black market when it has been made provisionally legal. Jerry Griffin of Pincanna, a Michigan marijuana entrepreneurial company looking to have a business in Ludington, noted the issue with vaping was with the substandard components and who tried to quell fears that some would have with marijuana businesses in town.

At 15:00 in to the meeting, I spoke my piece. Jerry Griffin would catch me after the meeting and commend me for the speech I made, saying it was the most on-point comment made-- even more than his, and the others who would come later in that meeting. I think the reason for that was because it was the most non-binary comment really made on the topic, it didn't hide any agenda, and it had a brutal honesty.

XLFD: "I voted against the state's recreational marijuana proposal, I thought it was a foolish choice to vote for it, but the majority passed it. I observe people that use marijuana recreationally and think they have made a foolish choice. Those who decided to make what I think is a foolish choice have two choices under the new law: to buy their pot at a retail outlet or to grow their own.
If there are no local retail outlets, then these people that make foolish choices are reduced to the choice of either purchasing it unlawfully from somebody else or growing their own. If they foolishly choose the first, they could easily wind up mired in the justice system. If they choose the latter, these people who have already made a foolish choice by using pot recreationally are now expected to make wise choices in making sure their growing facilities do not present a fire or health hazard for those living around them. I don't have that much confidence in fools that may be as high as a kite when they plan, build and run such facilities.
I don't want to read news about a fatal fire in Ludington that started in an apartment where one of these fools set up a makeshift grow facility that failed, I don't want to see fools go to jail for buying or selling marijuana to a friend when they shouldn't have. I would rather have those fools walk down to a discreet and reputable retailer, buy their product, take it home and not do something stupid that could land them in jail or lead to a conflagration that kills innocent lives. Thank you. [END]"

And that was the last word before the vote, other than a new resident named Mary Lou politely thanking a lot of our local public and private organizations that has made her move a lot easier. My statement effectively related that I don't support recreational marijuana, but I understand we had a fair vote on the issue and my side lost. Elections have consequences (hear that, Nevertrumpers?) and the people voted to make it legal to raise RM in the privacy of your own home. Such operations are very inefficient and inordinately hazardous, so it makes sense to allow a commercial growing facility and retail store.

And for those who still don't understand how our local justice system is a business and why the police chief, the county sheriff and prosecutor are so against marijuana retail outlets in Ludington or the county, here's some news for you. If the marijuana black market is wiped out and reputable marijuana outlets with competition to keep prices low come here, they fear that their own law-pushing business will suffer since they will have to find real criminals to lock up rather than Shaggies and Scoobies looking for baggies of doobies.

A brief committee report from the Cemetery, Parks Rec Committee about cemetery deed transfers and renting out the West End-- yes, there will be tents. Yes, this was the scheme all along, and yes, this was former Mayor John Henderson's brainchild. His daughter will now complete squaring the circle by trying to have tents and drinking parties there as often as possible during the tourism season and ruin what Stearns Park means to a lot of people.

The city manager gave a brief report, the most interesting part of which they were creating a committee to look at high-water issues and would assign Councilor Winczewski to it because of her science background. She would later give a power point presentation indicating why she was for opting out which seemed mostly devoid of using the scientific method.

Which led us to the main course of the night. The mayor did a round robin of councilors to see whether they were ready to vote yet and had enough information. This first go round had comments by Councilor Rozelle saying that the city's committee reports were tainted by member Steve Von Pfahl's advocacy afterwards-- and it was. Councilor Serna gave a very thoughtful presentation refuting (as a nurse on the front lines) what the sheriff said at the September meeting, and indicating that she saw plenty of merit in opting in.

The ten minute presentation given then by Councilor Winczewski (50:45 in) further decimated the marijuana committee's objectivity going the other way. Anecdotes, quotes from similar minded people, and misleading statistics were all part of her offering, whose only purpose seemed to be polarizing the two sides. Councilor Rozelle and Serna differed on how they read the community forum's participation and offered more statistics. The voice vote was taken for the resolution to remain opted out, with only Serna voting against.

The last public comment remined on the issue, with an audience member asking whether the council would revisit the issue once the final rules are made (likely next summer); the city attorney affirmed that they would within 60 days.

Robert Hynes spoke again about the benefits of having regulated grow centers. Gordon MacDougall thanked the council for their decision. Jason Miney touched upon other drugs that affect the community in a lot worse ways than RM. Cheyenne Chappa, a RM Committee member, RM user, and a MM card holder, offered another viewpoint comparing and contrasting the differences of marijuana and alcohol.

And the meeting shortly thereafter adjourned.

[Willy]

I get steaming mad every time I think of the Ludington Ave beach project. Not only is it a waste of money to build but it will end up draining tax dollars to maintain. As far as the pot issue, let other communities approve the sale of the weed as long as it's outside Ludington City limits. People have been growing pot in their homes for years. The only time it is a hazard is when someone has set up a full scale greenhouse indoors. The grow lights and process is much more refined and safe now days. The average person will only have a plant or two. I know people who have regular plants all over their homes. This is the case for thousands of people so I have little fear of home grown pot for personal use causing fires. In warm weather people can grow enough of the stuff in their gardens to last for years when dried. My beef is still the ease of access to kids who will surely see this as a stamp of approval to sneak behind the garage and puff away just like we did with cigarettes. Even though the genie is out of the bottle we aren't obligated to invite it into town to do it's business so it can be waved  under children's  noses.

[XLFD]

The West End 'improvements' were there for the majority of the tourist season and despite its novelty and despite visiting almost daily, I never saw more than four people using the area at a time (other than for the fireworks), and usually it was abandoned while there were dozens of people on the breakwall and hundreds on the regular beach.  It's got the electrical capacity and tent anchor points, however, so look forward to next year when the City rents out the public beach to private functions erecting tents to block the view of the water and using amplified music to drown out the tranquility.

As for marijuana, I am cognizant that use of marijuana was a lot more prevalent among teens back in the 1970s, with over a third using it regularly, now less than a quarter do, even in Michigan.  Back in the early seventies, they put marijuana as a schedule 1 drug with harsh penalties called for by possession or distributing it.  This only made it more popular then.

The vote in November 2018 mattered, and our side lost.  What matters now is more of an education and upbringing problem, in that our schools and parents need to teach our kids that weed, like alcohol, is not glamorous and potentially very harmful.  Now that recreational marijuana is legal (but only for those over 21), any responsible parent and health teacher should be more highly motivated to have that talk with their kids.  We need to point out the tragedy of both the hapless drunkard and the mind-numbed pothead and say don't let that happen to you. 

Our local schools should be inviting people who have suffered, like Gordon McDougall, if they haven't already, to come in and tell of his loss to help put it in simplified terms.  There are plenty of ways of keeping kids and adults from doing recreational marijuana, but I do not believe banning businesses from providing a legal substance to people who want it is a smart way.  

[Willy]

It sure is fascinating how fast this pot fever is spreading. I wonder why? This guy's mother must be so proud.

[shinblind]

The end game of the government for marijuana legislation will be to tax the growers along with the buyers. Locally it could be enacted as easily as the rental inspection program, making certain you adhere to the letter of the law with a charge for each location plus an additional charge per plant.

How much of your 4th amendment rights you will have to surrender is uncertain but at worst you will not have any as he pot inspection bureaucrat shows up at your premises to make certain you are in compliance.  

That way instead of prisons being filled with users and small time sellers they will be filled with people who evade paying the fee much like the government currently pursues moonshiners.

It is the end game of marijuana legislation.

[Willy]

instead of jail time for selling weed, they can look forward to seeing the inside of a cell for not paying the fees on the weed they used to go to jail for using. Good one shinblind.