The Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force, comprised of representatives from state and local government, the legal community, the medical profession, the marijuana industry, marijuana consumers and Colorado’s employers and employees, released its 165-page report today containing details of 58 policy recommendations for the regulation of marijuana in Colorado. Gov. John Hickenlooper charged the Task Force in December with "finding practical and pragmatic solutions to the policy, legal and procedural issues" involved in moving forward with the state’s new constitutional amendment, which voters approved in November. Task Force Co-Chairs Jack Finlaw, the Governor’s Chief Legal Counsel, and Barbara Brohl, the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, announced the recommendations today.
"This is a very comprehensive report, developed in a rapid timeframe, that lays the groundwork for the establishment of a robust regulatory framework, with adequate funding for marijuana industry oversight and enforcement, consumer protection and prevention and treatment programs for young people," said Finlaw.
"This was ground-breaking work and the Task Force process went very well," Brohl said. "It was supported by many committed and astute individuals who took the Governor’s charge very seriously. Task force members represented differing viewpoints, they addressed all issues in a well-thought-out manner and worked hard to develop sound solutions. The Task Force did all the 'heavy lifting,' but now a lot of follow up work has to be done in the coming months."
Here is a link to the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force press release, recommendations, and full report.
Mayor's Task Force on Retail Marijuana:
As a result of the Board of Trustees workshop on the implementation of Amendment 64, the Board of Trustees (BOT), created the Mayor's Task Force on Retail Marijuana (TFRM) chaired by Trustee Peter Fiori. Tuesday night, the task force had its inaugural meeting. I had a chance to catch up with the group and sit in on the meeting.
Trustee Fiori gave some opening remarks regarding TFRM goals and aligning with our BOT goals. Ultimately, the mission of the task force is to make recommendations for municipal code changes regarding retail marijuana with respect to zoning, building code, and licensing, as well as research local excise taxes. The task force is also expected to shepherd the recommendations through the Nederland Planning Process (NPP) to ensure that we create municipal code changes that make sense for our community.
Trustee Fiori introduced Town Administrator, Alisha Reis to the group. She provided the task force with some background information on open records laws, the role of Town Staff, and Town advisory boards regarding Zoning and Building Codes.
The task force agreed to meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month through August. Once a month, the task force will hear public comments during the meeting. Written comments from local citizens can also be submitted to Town Hall and distributed to the task force during the week prior to each meeting.
The task force will not take official minutes, but will be providing the Board of Trustees a brief summary each month so that citizens can be informed, follow along on the progress of the committee, and provide feedback.
The next phase of information will come from the state legislature, from none other than, the 'joint committee', as stated in this Denver Post Article.
[Here is a Video Valediction] ... while we wait for the legislature ... I'll leave you with Runaway Truck Ramp performing Alabama Jubilee at NedFest. [What is a Video Valediction?]
[See Related Story: The A64 Chronicles]Looks like fun now, but there appears to be a lot of reading, analysis, debating, and maybe some compromise on the horizon for this group.
The next phase of information will come from the state legislature, from none other than, the 'joint committee', as stated in this Denver Post Article.
[Here is a Video Valediction] ... while we wait for the legislature ... I'll leave you with Runaway Truck Ramp performing Alabama Jubilee at NedFest. [What is a Video Valediction?]
