September 20, 2016 at 5:47 p.m.
FR considering marijuana measure
Fort Recovery Village Council
FR considering marijuana measure
By Nathan Rubbelke-
FORT RECOVERY — The village will likely put a temporary ban on medical marijuana, which became legal in the State of Ohio earlier this month.
Village council gave an OK for village attorney and grants administrator Erin Minor to draft such legislation after she gave a brief overview Monday evening of House Bill 523, which passed the Ohio General Assembly earlier this year and went into effect Sept. 8.
Minor explained the bill establishes the Medical Marijuana Control Program, which will be overseen by the Ohio Department of Commerce and Ohio State Board of Pharmacy.
“Essentially, all it is right now is a framework. The agencies that have to implement this particular bill have to come up with rules that are really going to determine how the program all works,” Minor told council members Dave Bretz, Erik Fiely, Dave Garman and Scott Pearson.
Minor further explained that other Ohio villages and cities have imposed a six-month moratorium disallowing any operation of medical marijuana businesses in their community until a framework has been drafted, and recommended Fort Recovery do the same.
Minor said the Village of Coldwater in Mercer County and the Village of Versailles in neighboring Darke County have both adopted such legislation.
“Don’t you think that’s an over reaction at this point?” Bretz asked following Minor’s overview.
However, village administrator Randy Diller said such a measure would protect the village, allowing it to wait and see where the rules fall.
Village council gave an OK for village attorney and grants administrator Erin Minor to draft such legislation after she gave a brief overview Monday evening of House Bill 523, which passed the Ohio General Assembly earlier this year and went into effect Sept. 8.
Minor explained the bill establishes the Medical Marijuana Control Program, which will be overseen by the Ohio Department of Commerce and Ohio State Board of Pharmacy.
“Essentially, all it is right now is a framework. The agencies that have to implement this particular bill have to come up with rules that are really going to determine how the program all works,” Minor told council members Dave Bretz, Erik Fiely, Dave Garman and Scott Pearson.
Minor further explained that other Ohio villages and cities have imposed a six-month moratorium disallowing any operation of medical marijuana businesses in their community until a framework has been drafted, and recommended Fort Recovery do the same.
Minor said the Village of Coldwater in Mercer County and the Village of Versailles in neighboring Darke County have both adopted such legislation.
“Don’t you think that’s an over reaction at this point?” Bretz asked following Minor’s overview.
However, village administrator Randy Diller said such a measure would protect the village, allowing it to wait and see where the rules fall.
Committee members also discussed whether truck drivers could be moved into higher class, but that would require review.
“Well, you can’t make any classification changes if there are no changes to the job description,” Rooker told committee members Mike Leonhard, Gary Theurer and Inman. “So, it would have to come forward to the committee with revisions to be looked at and to be factored.”
Highway department Ken Wellman said he currently doesn’t seen any revisions that can be made.
“Our job descriptions are what they are. I can’t make stuff up that we don’t do,” he said.
He added, however, that his department has seen a high turnover in drivers because of pay, which is currently $13.59 per hour and will bump up to $14.13 as result of the 4-percent increase.
“You look around at surrounding counties. I don’t know how we are classified in this form here compared to everybody else,” Wellman said. “I mean, we do the same thing every other highway truck driver in every other surrounding or adjoining county does and we’re $3 below everybody.”
Meanwhile, Davis said she doesn’t believes the job description of the maintenance worker is accurate and that it needs to be reviewed. In her remarks to council Wednesday, she described the role as a more of a “groundkeeper.”
She indicated Monday the description may be too expansive for the current role.
While not making formal recommendations, the committee also suggested Monday that the adoption of 2017 salary ordinance be delayed until the issues surrounding the classification are resolved and that the 4-percent raises be kept intact unless changes are made.
Rooker told the committee it’ll probably take around a month to review the descriptions with the department heads.
“Well, you can’t make any classification changes if there are no changes to the job description,” Rooker told committee members Mike Leonhard, Gary Theurer and Inman. “So, it would have to come forward to the committee with revisions to be looked at and to be factored.”
Highway department Ken Wellman said he currently doesn’t seen any revisions that can be made.
“Our job descriptions are what they are. I can’t make stuff up that we don’t do,” he said.
He added, however, that his department has seen a high turnover in drivers because of pay, which is currently $13.59 per hour and will bump up to $14.13 as result of the 4-percent increase.
“You look around at surrounding counties. I don’t know how we are classified in this form here compared to everybody else,” Wellman said. “I mean, we do the same thing every other highway truck driver in every other surrounding or adjoining county does and we’re $3 below everybody.”
Meanwhile, Davis said she doesn’t believes the job description of the maintenance worker is accurate and that it needs to be reviewed. In her remarks to council Wednesday, she described the role as a more of a “groundkeeper.”
She indicated Monday the description may be too expansive for the current role.
While not making formal recommendations, the committee also suggested Monday that the adoption of 2017 salary ordinance be delayed until the issues surrounding the classification are resolved and that the 4-percent raises be kept intact unless changes are made.
Rooker told the committee it’ll probably take around a month to review the descriptions with the department heads.
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