Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Dennis Turner isn't afraid to walk between two worlds if it means he can achieve his goal of helping people. He knew when he started The Humboldt Cooperative in Arcata in November of 2003 that nothing but challenges lay ahead.
Challenges don't bother him. He's used to them. His roots are deep in Humboldt County's history, since his family first moved to the area in 1890. While Turner grew up in the Santa Rosa area, he was no stranger to Humboldt County and often visited his “Uncle Jimmy,” who lived in the area. He also married a local girl named Martha.
In 1973, Turner launched his career in helping people as a guidance counselor at McKinleyville High School. By 1978, he was running a research team for the Department of General Services in Sacramento.
He received his master's degree in career counseling at Humboldt State University in December of 1994 and went to work for the Department of Rural Human Resources in Crescent City. After six years, he became restless and decided it was time to move on.
By 2000, the times were changing as to the role of marijuana in society and Turner became interested in the therapeutic aspects of the controversial herb. Convinced that cannabis was good thing for those who needed it, he researched what it took to start a medical marijuana clinic.
Dealing with the paradox of state and federal laws was like tip-toeing through a minefield, according to Turner. He wanted to start a community service that could expand into other services. This involved tons of research and talking to a lot of people, something Turner has no problem doing. Most of the time he wears a smile that invites others to join him.
He realized he was setting out upon a road with plenty of potential ambushes. While the state said it was OK to do certain things -- like having a certain number of plants -- the federal government didn't see it the same way, raiding dispensaries and prosecuting medial marijuana growers.
”I wanted to provide a needed service, but I also knew that I had to have a game plan if I wanted to stay open,” Turner said in a recent interview. That meant structure. So he formed the Humboldt California Association, the umbrella organization for the Humboldt Cooperative Management Group (HCMG). He put together a staff of promising and bright young accountants and office personnel for HCMG.
From the very beginning, Turner said, he made sure the Humboldt Cooperative cooperated openly with the state and county regarding his business transactions. “That meant planning ahead,” he explained. “From the start, I got a pretty clear message from the state Board of Equalization; they basically said, 'Don't flaunt your operation or we'll take you down.' They issued bulletins to be used as guideposts, and we did our level best to comply with them.”
That meant an abundance of caution on Turner's part. He made sure the quarterly sales taxes were always paid on time and considered it an investment in the future. He figures clinics that did not take his precautions will be sorry and might face paying back taxes someday. By setting up a financial framework in advance, he intends to be ready for any new regulations.
He also made sure to establish a good working relationship with the city of Arcata while he built a foundation that would someday take the entire operation to another level.
Turner developed an integrated management matrix which enabled one of his employees, Ron Honig, to create a system that provides real time monitoring of the organization's finances.
With a touch of pride in his voice, Turner said, “We plan on giving the city of Arcata access to this system after we have all the bugs worked out. Then if they have any questions they'll be quickly answered with this amazing amount of accessibility.”
The foundation is expanding now as he prepares for the next phase, which he believes will include the legalization of marijuana. The most recent addition to the plan began on Aug. 6 when the Emerald Triangle Management Group (ETMG), a nonprofit organization, was formed.
”The word is that to be on the right side of new laws, clinics need to be nonprofit organizations and closed groups. They also need to be legal cooperatives. We're street legal right now,” Turner said, “but we have to look ahead to a time when the game changes and cannabis becomes legal.”
Turner's answer to that uncertain future has been to form ETMG and to invite other medical marijuana clinics to join the group's nonprofit umbrella.
Turner's recipe includes a community vegetable garden for patients, with the surplus going to local food banks. The group is currently looking for agricultural properties to suit that goal.
”We're going to have one garden in each of the local six counties,” he said with a grin. “No hoping here. We're going to do it.” He also noted that The Humboldt Cooperative has supported local community nonprofits with infusions of cash since its inception.
”We're not just about being a 215 clinic,” he said. “We're working with the people to improve their quality of life.”
Knowing that legalization looms in the future, Turner said he wasn't concerned about the ramifications that would bring. The information he's managed to glean suggests that the cannabis prices won't be significantly less when the day comes. How the whole legalization process will shake out, he doesn't know. No one knows yet.
California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, introduced legislation recently titled Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, or AB 390, that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.
Local officials have been reluctant to comment on AB 390. North Coast Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, said the bill is in such preliminary stages that he's not ready to talk about it yet.
Turner said he's got his structure in place -- a good track record with the local authorities and he will continue to build upon that. Success depends upon the overall ability to adapt to change, according to Turner.
When asked his goal in life, he said, “I strive to be a good administrator.”
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: times-standard.com
Author: Dave Stancliff
Copyright: 2009 Times-Standard
Contact: Contact Us - Times-Standard Online
Website: The Humboldt Cooperative plans for the future - Times-Standard Online
Challenges don't bother him. He's used to them. His roots are deep in Humboldt County's history, since his family first moved to the area in 1890. While Turner grew up in the Santa Rosa area, he was no stranger to Humboldt County and often visited his “Uncle Jimmy,” who lived in the area. He also married a local girl named Martha.
In 1973, Turner launched his career in helping people as a guidance counselor at McKinleyville High School. By 1978, he was running a research team for the Department of General Services in Sacramento.
He received his master's degree in career counseling at Humboldt State University in December of 1994 and went to work for the Department of Rural Human Resources in Crescent City. After six years, he became restless and decided it was time to move on.
By 2000, the times were changing as to the role of marijuana in society and Turner became interested in the therapeutic aspects of the controversial herb. Convinced that cannabis was good thing for those who needed it, he researched what it took to start a medical marijuana clinic.
Dealing with the paradox of state and federal laws was like tip-toeing through a minefield, according to Turner. He wanted to start a community service that could expand into other services. This involved tons of research and talking to a lot of people, something Turner has no problem doing. Most of the time he wears a smile that invites others to join him.
He realized he was setting out upon a road with plenty of potential ambushes. While the state said it was OK to do certain things -- like having a certain number of plants -- the federal government didn't see it the same way, raiding dispensaries and prosecuting medial marijuana growers.
”I wanted to provide a needed service, but I also knew that I had to have a game plan if I wanted to stay open,” Turner said in a recent interview. That meant structure. So he formed the Humboldt California Association, the umbrella organization for the Humboldt Cooperative Management Group (HCMG). He put together a staff of promising and bright young accountants and office personnel for HCMG.
From the very beginning, Turner said, he made sure the Humboldt Cooperative cooperated openly with the state and county regarding his business transactions. “That meant planning ahead,” he explained. “From the start, I got a pretty clear message from the state Board of Equalization; they basically said, 'Don't flaunt your operation or we'll take you down.' They issued bulletins to be used as guideposts, and we did our level best to comply with them.”
That meant an abundance of caution on Turner's part. He made sure the quarterly sales taxes were always paid on time and considered it an investment in the future. He figures clinics that did not take his precautions will be sorry and might face paying back taxes someday. By setting up a financial framework in advance, he intends to be ready for any new regulations.
He also made sure to establish a good working relationship with the city of Arcata while he built a foundation that would someday take the entire operation to another level.
Turner developed an integrated management matrix which enabled one of his employees, Ron Honig, to create a system that provides real time monitoring of the organization's finances.
With a touch of pride in his voice, Turner said, “We plan on giving the city of Arcata access to this system after we have all the bugs worked out. Then if they have any questions they'll be quickly answered with this amazing amount of accessibility.”
The foundation is expanding now as he prepares for the next phase, which he believes will include the legalization of marijuana. The most recent addition to the plan began on Aug. 6 when the Emerald Triangle Management Group (ETMG), a nonprofit organization, was formed.
”The word is that to be on the right side of new laws, clinics need to be nonprofit organizations and closed groups. They also need to be legal cooperatives. We're street legal right now,” Turner said, “but we have to look ahead to a time when the game changes and cannabis becomes legal.”
Turner's answer to that uncertain future has been to form ETMG and to invite other medical marijuana clinics to join the group's nonprofit umbrella.
Turner's recipe includes a community vegetable garden for patients, with the surplus going to local food banks. The group is currently looking for agricultural properties to suit that goal.
”We're going to have one garden in each of the local six counties,” he said with a grin. “No hoping here. We're going to do it.” He also noted that The Humboldt Cooperative has supported local community nonprofits with infusions of cash since its inception.
”We're not just about being a 215 clinic,” he said. “We're working with the people to improve their quality of life.”
Knowing that legalization looms in the future, Turner said he wasn't concerned about the ramifications that would bring. The information he's managed to glean suggests that the cannabis prices won't be significantly less when the day comes. How the whole legalization process will shake out, he doesn't know. No one knows yet.
California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, introduced legislation recently titled Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, or AB 390, that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.
Local officials have been reluctant to comment on AB 390. North Coast Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, said the bill is in such preliminary stages that he's not ready to talk about it yet.
Turner said he's got his structure in place -- a good track record with the local authorities and he will continue to build upon that. Success depends upon the overall ability to adapt to change, according to Turner.
When asked his goal in life, he said, “I strive to be a good administrator.”
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: times-standard.com
Author: Dave Stancliff
Copyright: 2009 Times-Standard
Contact: Contact Us - Times-Standard Online
Website: The Humboldt Cooperative plans for the future - Times-Standard Online
