By L. Parsons During last week’s Winslow Council meeting a discussion and action took place surrounding an ordinance that declares a city code update entitled “Recreational Marijuana 2020” as public record. It also bans consuming marijuana in public places and on city owned property and regulates conditions related to Proposition 207. The ordinance passed unanimously. The proposition, referred to as the Smart and Safe Arizona Act legalizes the recreational use of marijuana by adults over the age of 21. It was certified by Governor Doug Ducey on Nov. 30, becoming a law. During the discussion, Medicine Room founder Dixon Oates said, “There are only 130 licenses for marijuana establishments in Arizona and they are allowing the existing licenses to convert to dual license. If they all do that, they will only offer 30 more licenses in the state.” A dual license, according to the act, is a license owned by an establishment to sell both medicinal and recreational marijuana. Oates continued, “Every county in the state will be allowed to request additional licenses if they have fewer than two. I do not think, based on that, that Winslow will get a retail facility. I think that’s a shame and if the city took this opportunity to gather with the county to say, ‘we don’t want our tax dollars going elsewhere and our recreational shoppers having to travel’, there might be a way to work with Navajo County to request a social equity ownership license. That may be something the council may want to consider.” When last discussed, the council expressed concerns about regulation of producing marijuana extracts. Oates said, “As far as safety goes, Proposition 207 shuts the door on people doing extractions in their own homes which is the most dangerous component of anything that can happen in the marijuana industry, people using volatile solvents in creating botanical extractions in their own homes.” In regards to the ordinance, city attorney Trish Struhan said, “We are adapting some of our policing practices and assuring that small amounts of marijuana are not probable cause for law enforcement. Our issues are in terms of zoning. As a city, where do we want these marijuana establishments? Where are they going to be setting up and selling marijuana or testing for potency? We discussed regulations to limit explosions and odors. We also looked at restricting use on public property.” The ordinance, drafted by Struhan and modeled after several similar ordinances state wide is considered a, “middle ground approach to this issue.” She also explained that it is a living document and can be amended in the event that State rules and regulations are found to be in conflict. We can adopt our own zoning regulations but we are not allowed to be in conflict with the state. This ordinance is mostly concerned with zoning, the things that the act and the act has given us authority to address,” she stated. In other business, the council: * Heard the monthly financial report for October. Citywide revenues for the month were $1.5 million, bringing the year to date total to $5.7 million. Citywide expenditures for the month were $670,975 bringing the year to date total to $2.3 million. * Heard a quarterly report from Winslow Fire Chief James Hernandez. In his report, he explained November was a busy month for WFD both in calls for service and trainings attended by firefighters. The fire department will also be assisting in COVID-19 vaccine distribution when it becomes available. * Reappointed Kevin Coolidge and Jeff Patton to the Airport Commission until Dec. 31, 2023. * Reappointed Sarah Smithson and Bob Zaccaria to the Planning and Zoning Commission until Dec. 31, 2023. * Approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) administration and the City of Winslow to contribute the non-federal share of supplemental Medicaid payments and the Hold Harmless agreement between the City and the Little Colorado Medical Center. This is a routine procedure in which 25 percent of the City of Winslow’s one percent transaction privilege tax (not to exceed $461,302) is appropriated by AHCCCS in the form of a local match so the administration can apply for the federal match amount from Medicare. The Hold Harmless agreement is a guarantee that the city will not be held responsible for any and all liability that may arise from its participation in the intergovernmental agreement. * Approved an agreement between the City and Axon Enterprises for law enforcement tasers and related equipment and maintenance in the amount of $97,984. The funds are in the WPD budget and will be paid in installments beginning this fiscal year with $4,628. Years two through five will be $23,338 each. The tasers currently in use by WPD are obsolete. * Tabled a three-year service agreement with Mountain Fresh Cleaning for city janitorial services citing lack of information. Mayor Roberta Cano expressed concerns over cost and scope of work for the contract. * Approved an amendment to a cooperative purchasing agreement with McCauley Construction, Inc. The amendment exercises the second of four optional renewal terms. * Approved a job order contract with McCauley Construction, Inc. in the amount of $158,450 for construction of well flow meter improvements. The proposed improvements will provide the city with the ability to better monitor the water system and detect systemic problems.
