Council Discusses Marijuana, Police Chief, and Sidewalk Issues

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During their regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, the city council addressed issues related to marijuana growing operations in the city, the use of public sidewalks to display merchandise for sale, and the future of Police Chief Brandon Rogers.

The council first heard from Scott Rogers, who questioned the existing ordinance regarding medical marijuana businesses in the city. The current ordinance allows for licensed dispensaries, but prohibits growing and processing operations. The ordinance, Rogers said, violates Oklahoma law by prohibiting a lawful business from operating inside the city. His planned grow operation would operate completely indoors, and include all legally-required ventilation and air purification equipment to prevent any odors from being detectable on the outside, which meets all state requirements. The city, he said, has no legal right to prevent such a business from operating in a commercially or industrially zoned area of the city.

No formal action was taken on Rogers’ statement, but city attorney Johnny Beech said he would look into the city’s ordinance and its compliance with state law and regulation.

The council then discussed the ordinance which prohibits businesses from using public sidewalks to display merchandise for sale. Council member Earlene Smith referenced a ticket recently issued to the owner of JD’s Bargains for allegedly violating the ordinance. She told the council it was unfair to cite one business owner and not others. She mentioned Ace Hardware and United Grocery Store as having merchandise on their sidewalks, seemingly making the argument that the walkways between their parking lots and stores fall under the ordinance despite their distance from the street and public sidewalk, and their presence on the stores’ private property.

The mayor appointed three members of the council, Vona Hicks, Zetta Penner, and Cheryl Wedel to examine the ordinance and make a recommendation, preferably he said, at the Oct. 21, 2019, council meeting.

The final issue on the council’s agenda was an executive session to discuss the future of Police Chief Brandon Rogers. After an hour-long private session, the council returned to open session and reported there were a number of concerns regarding the chief. City manager J.C. Moser and Mayor Jerry Beech will be working together in the coming days to provide a list of the concerns and then meet with Chief Rogers to discuss them.