Several community members share at council meeting
COSHOCTON – Medical Marijuana has been a popular topic at Coshocton City Council meetings this year. Numerous pastors from the community and other concerned citizens have shared their thoughts and feelings at meetings and council used its second to last meeting of the year on Dec. 11 to read a prepared statement on the topic.
The statement was read by Councilman Brad Fuller who started out by thanking everyone who came to council and shared their thoughts on the topic in calm respectful manners. He also wanted it to be known that council never actively went out and perused third parties looking to establish medical marijuana cultivation facilities in the city limits or state officials who control where these will be located. They have only said that they would welcome a facility if a site within the city limits was selected for one.
Fuller then reminded those in attendance at the meeting that council had placed a six month moratorium on medical marijuana dispensary facilities in the City of Coshocton.
“We are making that indefinite as we do not feel they are in the best interest of the city,” he said.
However, if applications are filed for them outside of the city limits, council would have no say over that and townships or governing bodies of the specific area would have to make decisions about the topic.
Fuller also shared that the state didn’t approve any cultivation facilities for areas within the city limits so council will be taking no further action on the topic at this time.
Mike Jansen, who has spoken at several city council meetings on the topic of medical marijuana was on hand to hear Fuller read city council’s statement.
“I have learned so much and I thank city council for the opportunity to speak at meetings,” Jansen said. “Thank you for the work you do. I know it’s a lot of hard work and that you hear a lot of voices.”
Next up to the podium was Tim Kohler.
“I wanted to express my thanks for the removal of the condemned home on North 14th Street,” he said. “It’s been an eyesore for a very long time. The neighbors are grateful. Its removal has changed the look of the neighborhood.”
Steve Schlegel then stepped up to share more information about an apartment complex located at 1909 and 1911 Chestnut Street that his family owns. Council gave a second reading to an ordinance changing the zoning of the area where the apartments are, but Schlegel was asking that they also consider them two separate entities.
“They were built at two separate times,” he said. “In the 1970s the one at 1911 was built and then a house was torn down and the one at 1909 was built. The garage in back were linked together to create a little picnic area. They really are two separate entities and should be listed as. We’ve had people offer to buy 12 of the apartments, but not all 24 and would like to be able to do that if we wanted.”
Council agreed to go forward with the rezoning and to look more into the lot split.
Council also agreed to look into a city resident’s concerns about her neighbor keeping a large number of cats and rabbits at her property and the fact that the cats wander around the neighborhood.
The meeting wrapped up with Sheriff Tim Rogers sharing that the county commissioners are being very active with plans for a new justice center and a meeting is set up with an architect for Jan. 3, 2018.
“We also recently built at the back of the jail a room for our body scanner,” Rogers said. “It scans the body cavities of both males and females and the entire body. If we find anything we can get them transported to the hospital and get search warrants to retrieve any contraband. The building is done. We just have to finish up the last few fixtures. We are hoping to have it up and running by the first of the year.”
When Rogers was done speaking, Fuller thanked him for the memorial service his office held after retired K-9 Dingo passed away.
“It was very fitting and appropriate,” Fuller said.
Rogers agreed and expressed his appreciation for all those who shared their condolences for Dingo.
“The community’s support was overwhelming,” he said.
Category: Government
