Herald
Englewood 4/4/13
Englewood
April 5, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourenglewoodnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 93, Issue 7
City’s pot rules could go to voters Council to consider ballot question about commercial facilities By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com The Englewood City Council has delayed action on a ban on all aspects of the recreational marijuana industry in the city, and will consider placing a non-binding question before voters on the November ballot. A bill to prohibit the recreational marijuana industry was on the April 1 council agenda, and the council appeared split 3-3 on the issue. Those opposing the ban said Englewood residents voted overwhelming-
ly in favor of Amendment 64 to legalize recreational marijuana and the council should follow the will of the people. Those favoring the ban said it simply would not allow any retail element of the recreational marijuana industry to open in Englewood The option of putting a non-binding question on the 2013 ballot was suggested. After further discussion, council members voted 5-1 to table the ban proposal, in order to have the city attorney bring a draft advisory ballot question to the April 15 council meeting for discussion. Council Member Joe Jefferson voted against the delay because he wanted the issue decided in the April 1 meeting. Council Member Jill Wilson, who supported the ban at a March 18 study session, was absent from the regular council meeting.
The issue of banning the recreational marijuana industry came up at the March 18 session. By a consensus vote of 4-3, the council agreed to move forward with a proposal that would prohibit the establishment of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, retail marijuana stores, marijuana bars and marijuana testing facilities anywhere in Englewood. The proposed legislation would have no impact on the three medical marijuana stores located in the city. Jefferson objected to the proposal because 64.3 percent of Englewood residents voted in favor of Amendment 64. He raised the same issue at the April 1 meeting. In both discussions, Council Member Rick Gillit said many constituents in his district want no retail facilities in the city.
He said Amendment 64 allows people to possess less than an ounce of marijuana for private use and to grow marijuana in their homes as long as they comply with rules. The state constitutional provision also allows local governmental agencies to ban other recreational operations. On April 1, Jefferson, Mayor Randy Penn and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Woodward announced they opposed the proposed ban on the recreational marijuana industry in Englewood. Council Members Gillit and Linda Olson said they would vote for the ban, and Bob McCaslin had supported the ban at the study session. However, after lengthy discussion, five council members decided to put off action on the ban in order to explore the possibility of the November ballot issue.
School-finance bill advances Republican senators balk at $1 billion cost By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com
Several hundred children, 8 years old and younger, pushed past the tape when the air horn sounded at 10 a.m. March 30, signaling the start of Englewood’s rescheduled Great Egg Hunt. The ground was liberally covered with goodies and toys. Most children began scooping up goodies immediately close to the starting area, then moved farther out in the hunting ground. But 4-year-old Josh Hendley passed up candy, plastic eggs and toys as he raced to the fence to claim the inflatable baseball bat. It took volunteers hours to spread goodies and toys on the grassy area at Miller Field, but the young hunters claimed every available item in less than 20 minutes John Carpenter looked on as children from his extended family took part in the hunt. “This is a tradition for us,” the Englewood resident said. “My family, my sister’s family, several neighbors and my daughter’s family all get together for the egg
A bill that would lead to immense changes in how Colorado schools are financed passed the Democratic-controlled state Senate on April 2, following a partyline vote. Democrats see the “School Finance Act” as an opportunity to modernize an antiquated school finance formula, and to create a more equitable structure by which districts are funded. But Republicans argue that the 200-page bill does nothing to put in place the reforms that the state’s education system needs. And they cringe at the $1 billion price tag that accompanies it. Senate Bill 213 would fund full-day kindergarten, provide preschool for at-risk children, and would increase needs-based programs for special education and for students who are Report learning English. The bill also expands funding for students who are involved in gifted and talented programs at schools, and it gives school districts the opportunity to have extended school years and school days, if they choose to do so. In addition, the bill would make changes to per-student funding for school districts across the state. If the overhaul is implemented, it would result in the most sweeping change to the school finance formula that the state has seen in decades. “This is a once-in-a-generation chance to rewrite the way we fund the single largest, most complex and most important part of the state government, which is how we fund K-12 education,” said Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, a bill sponsor, during an April 1 debate that preceded the final vote. Democrats believe the time has come to help school districts that have had to deal with years of budget cuts, ones that have left students and teachers trying to fend with limited resources. Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, said the five school districts in her district “absolutely will benefit from this new formula.” “There are schools that are desperately in need,” she said. “I don’t want to see education so poorly funded in Colorado, and this is one way to get there that is equal, but fair.” But Republicans slammed the bill as being loaded with bureaucracy and lacking
Hunt continues on Page 23
Schools continues on Page 23
Milacha McMahan puts plastic eggs in a basket after Englewood’s March 30 Great Egg Hunt. The 16-month-old Englewood girl was among several hundred children who attended the event. Photos by Tom Munds
Great Egg Hunt tops for treats
Children pick grass clean at Englewood Easter event By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com
The big white bunny offers children goodies as youngsters and their parents attend Englewood’s March 30 Great Egg Hunt. There was a big crowd at the event, which had been delayed a week because of the March 23 snowstorm. POSTAL ADDRESS
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