cannabisnews.com: Town's New Pot Law May Be Short-Lived Town's New Pot Law May Be Short-Lived Posted by FoM on December 17, 2001 at 09:47:18 PT By Nancy Perkins, Deseret News Correspondent Source: Deseret News Councilman and mayor-elect Willie Marshall can't wait for Tuesday's City Council meeting to begin. On the action agenda is one item he hopes will pass quickly — the repeal of the town's lenient new ordinance that essentially decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana."You can put this on my tombstone," Marshall said from his home in this town of around 400 residents: "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Marshall, 49, brought the controversial ordinance before the five-member Town Council Nov. 20, where it passed unanimously. Under the new Big Water ordinance, the town prosecutor is required to seek a plea held in abeyance agreement with any defendants charged with possessing less than one ounce of marijuana or drug paraphernalia. The fee for each plea held in abeyance is set at no more than $10 for each count, the new law states. Kane County Chief Deputy Tracy Glover said because of the ordinance he and Sheriff LaMont Smith have discussed whether their office will renew its law enforcement contract with Big Water when it expires in January. "The sheriff and I feel like we can't adequately provide law enforcement if we're not on the same page with them," Glover said. "We're going to wait and see what happens. There are some good people out there, and we don't want to leave them high and dry, but there's a chance we may not renew our contract if they don't repeal that ordinance." Glover said two deputies regularly patrol Big Water for several hours per day. "We respond to the normal small town calls," he said, adding there have been few calls related to drugs. Kane County Attorney Eric Lind drafted a letter telling Marshall and other council members the ordinance is illegal and should be repealed. "I received no written response from them, but I have talked to several of the council members and answered their questions," Lind said. "This ordinance conflicts with state law. There's just no way they can legalize marijuana. I just don't think the town can, in any way, do this." Marshall, who moved to Big Water from Salt Lake City less than two years ago, said his Libertarian views may be "too progressive" for Utah. "I don't think the ordinance is unconstitutional, because there's no penalty if the town prosecutor decides not to seek a plea in abeyance," he said. "But the county attorney thinks otherwise." "I just thought (the ordinance) was a neat idea. We were sending the message that the punishment should fit the crime, and this one does," Marshall said. "But I'd rather just repeal it and get to work on other things, like cutting taxes like I promised I would when I was elected."Source: Deseret News (UT) Author: Nancy Perkins, Deseret News CorrespondentPublished: Sunday, December 16, 2001Copyright: 2001 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: letters desnews.com Website: http://www.desnews.com/Related Articles:Mayor: Police Causing Hasslehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11541.shtmlTowns Lenient New Pot Law May Go Up in Smoke http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11459.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by QcStrt on December 17, 2001 at 18:31:58 PT money they will lose the winter gams if they keep the LAW Big Brother. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by i420 on December 17, 2001 at 15:24:54 PT UGggggggggghhhhhhhhhh "I received no written response from them, but I have talked to several of the council members and answered their questions," Lind said. "This ordinance conflicts with state law. There's just no way they can legalize marijuana. I just don't think the town can, in any way, do this."Lets look at this attorneys IGNORANCE THIS ORDINANCE DID NOT LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IT MADE IT A CIVIL OFFENSE NOT CRIMINAL. UGH I never went to college and I can see the difference this just proves it true highly(and i love this pun 8^)~~~ ) educated people have NO COMMON SENSE. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by i420 on December 17, 2001 at 15:13:44 PT AAAArgggggggggggggg If you all repeal this law I hope you all get ousted come election day. This is the best thing I have seen on city level in forever. If other cities like Ann Arbor, Reno, Menicino County Cali. and a couple counties in Wisconsin then why not Big Water. The city needs to change their name to "Little Running Water" if you don't got the balls to follow through what you started. Have a nice .... day. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by krutch on December 17, 2001 at 11:17:46 PT: Backbone... Willie Marshall ordinance is admirable. Pity he lacks the needed backbone to stand up to the inbred fools who oppose it.God forbid that the ordinance which reflects the will of the people should stand if the contracted sheriff does not like it. Hell, just let the sheriff make and enforce the laws. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by jose melendez on December 17, 2001 at 10:19:35 PT: hard on drugs soft in head "If we can't bust potheads, we'll be forced to actually work, and if we have to go back to fighting REAL crime, it just would not be safe for our uniformed officers on the street. I mean, after all, what would you rather do: spend a few easy overpaid hours arresting booking and prosecuting and/or babysitting (also known as imprisoning) a pothead, or risk getting shot by violent offenders?" Arrest Prohibition - Drug War is FRAUD [ Post Comment ] Post Comment