(Update: video and comments added)
Mayor Endicott appoints a counselor to fill the vacant position among three finalists
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – If you live in Redmond and are looking to buy legal marijuana, you will have to head to Bend or another city to do so.
Attitudes on the legalization of marijuana and marijuana have come a long way since President Richard Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, with sales of legal marijuana reaching $17.5 billion in 2020, a 46% increase from 2019.
In Oregon alone, sales were $1.1 billion, up 29% from 2019, according to a report by BDSA, the cannabis sales data platform.
And this national shift has caused Redmond City Councilor, Clifford Evelyn, to try to take what he says is proactive attitude In preparation for the dispensaries in the city.
He urged fellow council members during a Tuesday evening meeting to prepare, if or when federal law changes, but was met with opposition from a majority of colleagues, as well as one city employee.
Evelyn said he believes federal legalization is “inevitable,” but the city’s Attorney General Keith Lietz says the city should not try to move forward with any potential change.
“My recommendation is not to go out before then,” Leitz said. “I think we’ll have some time. We don’t even know how, if that happens, how that affects the already existing state structure.”
Chancellor Jay Patrick also voiced his opposition.
Patrick says he is not in favor of marijuana legalization at all, and is concerned that dispensaries in Redmond will only exacerbate the state’s addiction problems.
Chancellor Chrisana Clark-Endecott echoed those sentiments, saying there was no point in discussing the matter because it is precautionary at this point.
The city is also on its way to looking for a new councilman, after John Bullock Resigned Last month.
Mayor George Endicott says he had received 17 applications by the end of November, hoping to create a replacement by the end of the year.
Endicott says he’s reduced the number to three finalists who already serve on city commissions or committees.
He says he then interviewed consultants Jay Patrick and Shannon Wedding.
“Really impressed with all three,” Endicott said. “I can tell you that we are in good hands, if there is any indication of the quality of the people who work on our committees and committees. So out of those three, I’ll pick one to hire.”
Mayor Endicott says he will announce this next Tuesday during the next council meeting.
This will be the seventh member appointed by Endicott during his tenure as mayor of Redmond.
