KETCHIKAN — A Ketchikan council member plans to ask for reconsideration of the city’s recent pot shop vote.
Members voted 5-2 to prohibit retail sales of marijuana within the city limits. The council can prohibit retail pot sales by passing an ordinance opting out of the retail sales portion of the state’s voter-approved marijuana law, Ballot Measure 2, the Ketchikan Daily News reported.
Councilwoman Julie Isom says she voted to prohibit retail sales, but later heard from residents who said they weren’t aware of the vote. The agenda said there would be a “discussion of whether to allow retail marijuana businesses within city limits.”
Councilman Bob Sivertsen voted with the majority to prohibit retail sales. He said the agenda should have stated a vote would take place.
“The public elects officials to make informed decisions, and I feel that’s what I did,” he said. “I wish the process had been a little cleaner.”
Isom said she also spoke with a long-time resident whose relative, born with a medical condition, wants to use marijuana. She plans to ask the council to reconsider its vote at a Dec. 17 council meeting.
If a four-member majority puts the issue up for reconsideration, Isom says she will pursue a special meeting to give everyone an opportunity to weigh in before a vote.
Failure of the reconsideration vote could put an opt-out ordinance before the city council at its Jan. 7 meeting.
