Good evening to the city council. First, as a private citizen, I’d like to thank the city council and staff for all their hard work in choosing a new city council member, it was no doubt a tough job, but very well managed. And I’d like to congratulate councilmember Kelso Barnett and welcome him to the Sonoma City Council.

Moving on to business, I’m here once again representing the Sonoma Valley Cannabis Group. We’d like to thank the city council and especially councilmember Amy Harrington for stepping up and directing our cannabis business question to all of the candidates at the previous council meeting.

What we found most enlightening about the responses to the question was the unanimous support for a second dispensary. Once again, community voices have reaffirmed the validity and importance of supporting a free market that would provide Sonoma Valley residents with a broader variety of products at more competitive prices. This is especially important for members of our patient community who need access to the widest choice of cannabis products possible to relieve serious and chronic symptoms.

We’d also like to thank planning director David Storer for his prompt response to our email question regarding the scheduling of the introduction of the amended cannabis ordinances to the city council. In his response, Mr. Storer suggested that the Council would likely review the amendments within the next few meetings between March 15 and April 19. What we’re not entirely clear on is whether the process of introduction and readings could begin at the next city council meeting and continue through the second half of April, or that the introduction and process may have to wait until the April 19 meeting.

We certainly hope it will be the former. Let’s please not fall into the can kicking syndrome that has plagued us off and on over the last years. As many others have expressed, city electeds and residents alike, it’s time to get this done. Thanks again for your time and have a good evening.