NorthwestNovember 6, 2015

Newly elected members favor lifting the city-wide ban on recreational marijuana sales

At least one Clarkston official wants an immediate repeal of the city's controversial ban on marijuana retailers.

One week after an election that saw councilors who favored the ban voted out of office, Councilor Brian Kolstad plans to address the issue Monday night when the Clarkston City Council convenes at city hall. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

"The voters have spoken," Kolstad said Thursday. "I think the city should stop wasting money on this, and the ban should be lifted as soon as possible."

Kolstad said this week's election sent a statement, and it's time for the city to pay attention, instead of paying legal fees on a futile fight.

Clarkston voters overwhelmingly chose a new mayor and three new councilors who will be sworn in early next year. At that time, Monika Lawrence will take over for Mayor Kathleen Warren, and Skate Pierce, Monika Beauchamp and Belinda Campbell will be serving on the council.

The newly elected slate is in favor of lifting the ban.

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Councilors Bill Provost and Alice White, who were defeated, opposed the recreational marijuana trade. A year ago, Councilors Terry Beadles, Kelly Blackmon and George Nash voted in favor of the ban, but they will be outnumbered when the reins change hands.

Beadles, who led the effort to ban pot sales in Clarkston, could not be reached Thursday to comment on Kolstad's proposal.

Kolstad plans to ask his fellow councilors to start the process for the inevitable repeal. The move would allow the two stores on Sixth Street to open and resume collecting tax revenues, he said. It would also halt the court battle over an injunction that closed Greenfield Company and Canna4Life, located on the 700 block of Sixth Street.

A lawsuit filed by the owners of Canna4Life against the city will continue to make its way through the court system.

As for the election, the Asotin County Auditor's Office conducted another count Thursday, but there were no changes in the outcomes.

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Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.

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