Islands' Sounder, December 11, 2013

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LIGHTING FESTIVAL Photos from the holiday event Page 20

FERRY RESERVATIONS WSF to launch new reservations program Page 3

SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’

COMMUNITY | Food co-op signs lease for building [6] NEWS | OPALCO is set to raise its rates 6 percent [8] ARTS | Community Band hosts holiday concert [13]

Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County

www.islandssounder.com

WEDNESDAY, December 11, 2013  VOL. 46, NO. 50  75¢

Winter athletics

Marijuana market to grow by STEVE WEHRLY Journal reporter

Melanie Flint photo

Viking Jack Gates jumps for the ball during a playoff game last season. For the 2013-14 winter sports preview, see page 10 and 11.

Lopez businesses apparently don’t want to have anything to do with marijuana – growing it, processing it or selling it. On Nov. 26, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which is charged with regulating “legal marijuana” after the 2012 voter approval of a legalization initiative, released the first list of applicants for producing, processing and retailing licenses. San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney Randall Gaylord told the Sounder in September, “I think it is appropriate to make a limit of one retail store for the three major ferry served islands.” Of 445 producer applications, 328 processor applications and 159 retailer applications, only 10 came from San Juan County - six “growers,” three processors and only one retailer. No applicants for any license were from Lopez Island. The one application for a retail store is from “Evergreen State of Mind Smokeshop” of San Juan Island, and a business named “Island Grown Foods” at the same address also applied for grower and processor licenses. Under WSLCB regulations, the same licensee can have both a “producer” and “processor” license, but a retailer license cannot be held by either a producer or processor. Siting of retail locations, like the siting of liquor stores, will be subject to public comment and to a set-

back of 1,000 feet from a school, playground, public park, public transit center or library. The only individual person who applied for a license was Peter A. DeLorenzi of Friday Harbor, who applied for a producer (grower) license. The other applicants for producers licenses were Four Nineteen and 1/2 of Eastsound, Billy’s Goat (Greatest of All Things) of Orcas Island, NW Connoisseurs of Deer Harbor, and Dragonleaf of Friday Harbor. Billy’s, Island Grown and NW Connoisseurs applied for both producer and processor licenses. The license application window closes Dec. 19. If more than one applicant files for one of the retailing licenses allocated to each of San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands, a drawing will decide the winner.

Federal stance on marijuana Under the federal Controlled Substances Act, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, alongside heroin and ecstasy. Schedule I drugs “have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S., and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision,” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Although there are medical marijuana laws in 22 states and there have been several attempts to reclassify marijuana, the federal government has yet to do so.

County news Budget passed; islanders weigh in at open house meeting on Orcas STAFF REPORT

The county council has approved a 2014 budget, a capital improvement plan and a staffing, pay and benefits plan. “I am very proud of the budget,” said Councilman Rick Hughes. “Milene Henley and Mike Thomas worked really well together ... this is the most important thing we do, and we had very few hassles.” The bottom line: $54,469,654 for the “Grand Total County” budget; $6,124,203 for the capital improvements plan, included in the budget; 219.7 full-time equivalents, which means roughly 220

employees. FTEs refer to the ratio of the total number of paid hours during a period (part time, full time, contracted) by the number of working hours in that period Mondays through Fridays. The $54.5 million budget is 2.6 percent less than the 2013 budget of about $55.6 million. The 2014 staffing level of 219.7 FTEs represents a reduction of about six FTEs. Because employees are hired, fired and retire during the year, the actual number of people working for the county might not be reduced. The largest budget reduction

Cali Bagby/Staff Photo

Mike Thomas speaking during the open house meeting on Orcas. For coverage of that session, see page 5.

was about $1.5 million for county roads, from about $11.8 million in 2013 to roughly $10.3 million budgeted for 2014. “Roads” is a budgetary line item that varies

from year-to-year based on the availability of federal and state contributions to local road construction. From 2012 to 2013, for instance, county road funds went up by about $3 million because of outside grants. Expenditures for county parks will increase by almost $400,000 –mostly because of a

SEE COUNTY, PAGE 5

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How to reach us Office: 376-4500 Fax: 1-888-562-8818 Advertising: advertising@ islandssounder.com Classified: 1-800-388-2527, classifieds@ soundpublishing.com Editor: editor@ islandssounder.com


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