Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
The Humboldt County Planning and Building Department temporarily pulled its funding request to the Board of Supervisors on June 14 that would have created a supervisor for its upcoming Cannabis Services Division.
County Administrative Officer Amy Nielsen said the department plans to bring back the request at a later date.
Since the county began accepting applications for commercial medical marijuana operations in February, the Planning and Building Department staff states it has been bombarded by requests for information, consulting and phone calls regarding the program to the point that other projects were being delayed.
A May 20 memo from several top staff members at the department to the Board of Supervisors stated some of the staff was falling ill from the workload stress and called for a three-month break from processing cannabis-related requests.
Instead, the board and Planning and Building Director Robert Wall announced the creation of a new Cannabis Services Division which would begin on July 1 and would be solely committed to the county's medical marijuana program.
The board had already approved five new department staff positions earlier this year to deal with some of the workload. These positions along with the proposed supervising planner position will run the new division.
The board also approved a letter to its planning commission clarifying how new discussion items can be placed on the commission's agenda. The letter came after the commission discussed a number of items, such as a possible moratorium on medical marijuana manufacturing facilities, that the board had not directed them to discuss.
"This is not a reprimand. It's a clarification," 2nd District Supervisor Estelle Fennell said.
The letter clarifies that the board must vote to place discussion items that fall outside of the planning commission's normal operations on the commission's agendas.
First District Supervisor Rex Bohn stated he did not have any major concerns about the issue and stated the letter may just be making the issue more complex than it needs to be.
Blue Lake resident and former county Human Rights Commissioner Kent Sawatzky recommended that the board should create a policy that would apply to all county commissions and alleviate any future concerns.
The board approved the letter in a 3-1 vote, with Bohn dissenting. Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass was absent.
A nearly $30,500 grant agreement between the California Certified Unified Program Agencies and Humboldt County Department of Human Services to purchase an emergency response vehicle for its county Hazmat response received unanimous approval.
The board's meeting began with a moment of silence for the victims of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 50 people including the gunman died and many more were injured. It is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The board also adjourned its meeting in memory of the victims.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cannabis Supervising Planner Request Temporarily Pulled
Author: Will Houston
Contact: Redwood Times
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Redwood Times
County Administrative Officer Amy Nielsen said the department plans to bring back the request at a later date.
Since the county began accepting applications for commercial medical marijuana operations in February, the Planning and Building Department staff states it has been bombarded by requests for information, consulting and phone calls regarding the program to the point that other projects were being delayed.
A May 20 memo from several top staff members at the department to the Board of Supervisors stated some of the staff was falling ill from the workload stress and called for a three-month break from processing cannabis-related requests.
Instead, the board and Planning and Building Director Robert Wall announced the creation of a new Cannabis Services Division which would begin on July 1 and would be solely committed to the county's medical marijuana program.
The board had already approved five new department staff positions earlier this year to deal with some of the workload. These positions along with the proposed supervising planner position will run the new division.
The board also approved a letter to its planning commission clarifying how new discussion items can be placed on the commission's agenda. The letter came after the commission discussed a number of items, such as a possible moratorium on medical marijuana manufacturing facilities, that the board had not directed them to discuss.
"This is not a reprimand. It's a clarification," 2nd District Supervisor Estelle Fennell said.
The letter clarifies that the board must vote to place discussion items that fall outside of the planning commission's normal operations on the commission's agendas.
First District Supervisor Rex Bohn stated he did not have any major concerns about the issue and stated the letter may just be making the issue more complex than it needs to be.
Blue Lake resident and former county Human Rights Commissioner Kent Sawatzky recommended that the board should create a policy that would apply to all county commissions and alleviate any future concerns.
The board approved the letter in a 3-1 vote, with Bohn dissenting. Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass was absent.
A nearly $30,500 grant agreement between the California Certified Unified Program Agencies and Humboldt County Department of Human Services to purchase an emergency response vehicle for its county Hazmat response received unanimous approval.
The board's meeting began with a moment of silence for the victims of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 50 people including the gunman died and many more were injured. It is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The board also adjourned its meeting in memory of the victims.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cannabis Supervising Planner Request Temporarily Pulled
Author: Will Houston
Contact: Redwood Times
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Redwood Times
