Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Laws now proposed could, in the next year, allow cannabis to become a fully sanctioned industry in Calaveras County that contributes an estimated $15 million to $20 million a year in local taxes. Another proposal could ban the industry.
Although every county voter will get a say, a much smaller number of individuals and groups are shaping the public debate. Here's a look at them.
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors is a five-person board and it is the authority that can make local laws concerning registration and enforcement of commercial, caregiver and personal cultivation of cannabis.
In order to conduct the county's business, the board must have a quorum, or three supervisors present at meetings. Most laws can be passed by a simple majority of the quorum. By state law, some actions — such as the urgency ordinance currently in place — require a four-fifths majority, meaning four must vote to approve.
At least two of the five seats on the board will have new occupants in January and it is possible four of them will turn over.
- District 1 is represented by first-term supervisor and current Chairman Cliff Edson. He faces a runoff in November with challenger Gary Tofanelli, the man he defeated to win the seat in 2012. Edson has spoken in favor of regulation, enforcement and taxation of the cannabis industry.
- District 2 is represented by first-term Supervisor Christopher Wright. Wright is not seeking a second term. Wright was elected in 2012. He will be replaced in January by Jack Garamendi, who ran unopposed for the seat. Commercial cannabis farming tends to be centered in District 2, around Mountain Ranch and, to a lesser degree, near West Point, according to cannabis industry spokesmen. District 2 also received the heaviest blow from the Butte Fire.
- District 3 is represented by first-term supervisor Michael Oliveira. Oliveira consistently votes against cannabis laws that would establish or enhance the local industry. He said voters need to learn about the pending local and state laws because "this will affect us for a very long, long time." His term expires in 2018.
- District 4 is represented by first-term supervisor Debbie Ponte. Ponte is not seeking a second term. She will be replaced in January by Dennis Mills who won the seat in the June primary election. Mills is currently a director of the Calaveras County Water District. He said he will resign from the water district to serve as a supervisor.
- District 5 is represented by first-term supervisor Steve Kearney. He faces a recall challenge in November, mounted by a group that gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Normally, Kearney's term would expire in 2018. If he is recalled, a replacement will complete his term.
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors has struggled with the explosive growth of the cannabis industry. Many vocal constituents remain leery of the business, the product and its impacts. Supervisors recognize that quiet, hidden and illegal cannabis farming has been a part of the Calaveras County economy for nearly 30 years. They are faced with state laws that legalized medical cannabis 1996 and, last year, mandated a full-blown statewide bureaucracy to administer the product that will take effect in 2018.
There is also the possibility that recreational marijuana will become legal in California if voters in November approve Prop. 64. If so, the Board of Supervisors may consider local ordinances that address it.
Supervisors reviewed a proposed ordinance that would reign in and offer protection to both legitimate farmers and their neighbors in February. That measure did not get a majority vote and it failed. In March, following what several on the board called "continuous constituent pressure to do something," the board heard from constituents who sought a complete ban on commercial cannabis cultivation. At the same time, members of the Calaveras cannabis industry and representatives of various county departments worked with officials to craft a regulatory plan. The aim was to craft a document that would, with compromise, be acceptable to all parties.
That document became the urgency ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote (District 3 Supervisor Michael Oliviera opposed) on May 10.
On July 12, the board approved placing before voters in November a ballot measure that would tax commercial growers between $12 million and $20 million yearly on their crop. The funds could be used at the discretion of the board.
Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio
Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio was appointed by the Board of Supervisors on May 2 to fill the positon left by the Oct. 29 death of Sheriff Gary Kuntz. DiBasilio was immediately required to devise a program to comply with the board's decision to enact an urgency ordinance regulating commercial, caregiver and personal cultivation of cannabis.
A 14-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, he took control of a department that was understaffed and supported by aging equipment. With passage of the urgency ordinance a few days later on May 10, both county and industry estimates suggested that $1 million could come into the Planning Department from cannabis registrant fees. Part of that funding could be used for additional officers and equipment to enforce the ordinance. That initial estimate has grown to an actual income of $3.7 million, part of which may be used to support law enforcement at it provides service and protection of registered growers.
Initially, DiBasilio told the board he was opposed to any county law that would approve cannabis cultivation. Over the months since the passage of the urgency ordinance, DiBasilio's position has changed from outright opposition to careful admission that cannabis is not going to go away and it is up to county government — including the Sheriff's Office — to deal with it.
Calaveras County Planning Department
Headed by Planning Director Peter Maurer, the Planning Department has done the heavy lifting as the county establishes a cannabis cultivation bureaucracy. The Planning Department has worked with supervisors, industry leaders, opponents, and various county department heads to craft two ordinances for review by the board of supervisors.
Following the passage of the urgency ordinance, the department set a June 30 deadline for growers to register. The department has received more than 900 applications and is processing and recording the data. That is essential to allow law enforcement and code compliance officers to locate registered growers. The department has received more than $3.7 million in fees.
Barden Stevenot
Barden Stevenot was a principal in the writing, signature gathering and eventual certification of Measure D, a ballot initiative that will, if approved by voters on Nov. 8, regulate cannabis cultivation and production in Calaveras County. He is a fifth-generation member of a pioneer Gold Rush family and former owner of the Stevenot Winery. With a heritage of winemaking and gold mining, he purchased the Shaw Ranch in 1969 and first planted wine grapes in 1974. Stevenot was a pioneer in Calaveras County's modern wine tourism industry.
Calaveras Cannabis Alliance
The Calaveras Cannabis Alliance is the industry's only formal organization in Calaveras County. The alliance claims more than 1,200 members and seeks to establish the cannabis industry in Calaveras County as a viable, recognized and legal agricultural component of the economy.
Caslin Tomasezewski is executive director and a working cannabis farmer. He was named to head the alliance in 2015. He was a key contributor to the process of crafting the urgency ordinance. Tomasezewski advocates for regulation and taxation of the county's cannabis farmers.
Tomasezewski lead a series of six workshops throughout the county to help growers comply with new rules set by passage of the urgency ordinance.
Bill McManus
Bill McManus is a principal in the group that has filed to collect signatures for a ballot measure to ban all commercial cannabis activity. They hope to qualify that measure for a special election next year.
He said his concern with the cannabis industry stems from the proliferation of drugs among young people, especially marijuana. In 2010, he unsuccessfully sought to unseat now-former District 3 supervisor Merita Callaway. Callaway is a sponsor and proponent of Measure D, the initiative to regulate cannabis.
McManus was born and raised in Stockton. He graduated with an associate degree in computer science from San Joaquin Delta Collage and then served four years in the U.S. Air Force. After completing military service, McManus started a computer business in Stockton.
He developed clients in Calaveras County, and then chose to serve Stockton clients from Calaveras County. He has been a long-time coach and supporter of youth athletics.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Key Players Seek To Shape Future Of Cannabis Industry
Author: Terry Grillo
Contact: 209.754.3861
Photo Credit: Terry Grillo
Website: Calaveras Enterprise
Although every county voter will get a say, a much smaller number of individuals and groups are shaping the public debate. Here's a look at them.
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors is a five-person board and it is the authority that can make local laws concerning registration and enforcement of commercial, caregiver and personal cultivation of cannabis.
In order to conduct the county's business, the board must have a quorum, or three supervisors present at meetings. Most laws can be passed by a simple majority of the quorum. By state law, some actions — such as the urgency ordinance currently in place — require a four-fifths majority, meaning four must vote to approve.
At least two of the five seats on the board will have new occupants in January and it is possible four of them will turn over.
- District 1 is represented by first-term supervisor and current Chairman Cliff Edson. He faces a runoff in November with challenger Gary Tofanelli, the man he defeated to win the seat in 2012. Edson has spoken in favor of regulation, enforcement and taxation of the cannabis industry.
- District 2 is represented by first-term Supervisor Christopher Wright. Wright is not seeking a second term. Wright was elected in 2012. He will be replaced in January by Jack Garamendi, who ran unopposed for the seat. Commercial cannabis farming tends to be centered in District 2, around Mountain Ranch and, to a lesser degree, near West Point, according to cannabis industry spokesmen. District 2 also received the heaviest blow from the Butte Fire.
- District 3 is represented by first-term supervisor Michael Oliveira. Oliveira consistently votes against cannabis laws that would establish or enhance the local industry. He said voters need to learn about the pending local and state laws because "this will affect us for a very long, long time." His term expires in 2018.
- District 4 is represented by first-term supervisor Debbie Ponte. Ponte is not seeking a second term. She will be replaced in January by Dennis Mills who won the seat in the June primary election. Mills is currently a director of the Calaveras County Water District. He said he will resign from the water district to serve as a supervisor.
- District 5 is represented by first-term supervisor Steve Kearney. He faces a recall challenge in November, mounted by a group that gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Normally, Kearney's term would expire in 2018. If he is recalled, a replacement will complete his term.
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors has struggled with the explosive growth of the cannabis industry. Many vocal constituents remain leery of the business, the product and its impacts. Supervisors recognize that quiet, hidden and illegal cannabis farming has been a part of the Calaveras County economy for nearly 30 years. They are faced with state laws that legalized medical cannabis 1996 and, last year, mandated a full-blown statewide bureaucracy to administer the product that will take effect in 2018.
There is also the possibility that recreational marijuana will become legal in California if voters in November approve Prop. 64. If so, the Board of Supervisors may consider local ordinances that address it.
Supervisors reviewed a proposed ordinance that would reign in and offer protection to both legitimate farmers and their neighbors in February. That measure did not get a majority vote and it failed. In March, following what several on the board called "continuous constituent pressure to do something," the board heard from constituents who sought a complete ban on commercial cannabis cultivation. At the same time, members of the Calaveras cannabis industry and representatives of various county departments worked with officials to craft a regulatory plan. The aim was to craft a document that would, with compromise, be acceptable to all parties.
That document became the urgency ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote (District 3 Supervisor Michael Oliviera opposed) on May 10.
On July 12, the board approved placing before voters in November a ballot measure that would tax commercial growers between $12 million and $20 million yearly on their crop. The funds could be used at the discretion of the board.
Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio
Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio was appointed by the Board of Supervisors on May 2 to fill the positon left by the Oct. 29 death of Sheriff Gary Kuntz. DiBasilio was immediately required to devise a program to comply with the board's decision to enact an urgency ordinance regulating commercial, caregiver and personal cultivation of cannabis.
A 14-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, he took control of a department that was understaffed and supported by aging equipment. With passage of the urgency ordinance a few days later on May 10, both county and industry estimates suggested that $1 million could come into the Planning Department from cannabis registrant fees. Part of that funding could be used for additional officers and equipment to enforce the ordinance. That initial estimate has grown to an actual income of $3.7 million, part of which may be used to support law enforcement at it provides service and protection of registered growers.
Initially, DiBasilio told the board he was opposed to any county law that would approve cannabis cultivation. Over the months since the passage of the urgency ordinance, DiBasilio's position has changed from outright opposition to careful admission that cannabis is not going to go away and it is up to county government — including the Sheriff's Office — to deal with it.
Calaveras County Planning Department
Headed by Planning Director Peter Maurer, the Planning Department has done the heavy lifting as the county establishes a cannabis cultivation bureaucracy. The Planning Department has worked with supervisors, industry leaders, opponents, and various county department heads to craft two ordinances for review by the board of supervisors.
Following the passage of the urgency ordinance, the department set a June 30 deadline for growers to register. The department has received more than 900 applications and is processing and recording the data. That is essential to allow law enforcement and code compliance officers to locate registered growers. The department has received more than $3.7 million in fees.
Barden Stevenot
Barden Stevenot was a principal in the writing, signature gathering and eventual certification of Measure D, a ballot initiative that will, if approved by voters on Nov. 8, regulate cannabis cultivation and production in Calaveras County. He is a fifth-generation member of a pioneer Gold Rush family and former owner of the Stevenot Winery. With a heritage of winemaking and gold mining, he purchased the Shaw Ranch in 1969 and first planted wine grapes in 1974. Stevenot was a pioneer in Calaveras County's modern wine tourism industry.
Calaveras Cannabis Alliance
The Calaveras Cannabis Alliance is the industry's only formal organization in Calaveras County. The alliance claims more than 1,200 members and seeks to establish the cannabis industry in Calaveras County as a viable, recognized and legal agricultural component of the economy.
Caslin Tomasezewski is executive director and a working cannabis farmer. He was named to head the alliance in 2015. He was a key contributor to the process of crafting the urgency ordinance. Tomasezewski advocates for regulation and taxation of the county's cannabis farmers.
Tomasezewski lead a series of six workshops throughout the county to help growers comply with new rules set by passage of the urgency ordinance.
Bill McManus
Bill McManus is a principal in the group that has filed to collect signatures for a ballot measure to ban all commercial cannabis activity. They hope to qualify that measure for a special election next year.
He said his concern with the cannabis industry stems from the proliferation of drugs among young people, especially marijuana. In 2010, he unsuccessfully sought to unseat now-former District 3 supervisor Merita Callaway. Callaway is a sponsor and proponent of Measure D, the initiative to regulate cannabis.
McManus was born and raised in Stockton. He graduated with an associate degree in computer science from San Joaquin Delta Collage and then served four years in the U.S. Air Force. After completing military service, McManus started a computer business in Stockton.
He developed clients in Calaveras County, and then chose to serve Stockton clients from Calaveras County. He has been a long-time coach and supporter of youth athletics.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Key Players Seek To Shape Future Of Cannabis Industry
Author: Terry Grillo
Contact: 209.754.3861
Photo Credit: Terry Grillo
Website: Calaveras Enterprise
