Ontario extends cannabis sales moratorium through Oct. 31

ONTARIO — Ontario City Council members unanimously voted to extend a recreational marijuana sales moratorium on Wednesday night. 

The six-month moratorium passed in March was previously set to lapse on Sept. 6. Council has extended it through Oct. 31 for additional time to research and prepare the city’s options.

City council president Eddie Gallo shared thoughts from community members and law enforcement who had written council and his own opinions.

“When we had considered medical facilities around 2015-16, there were a lot of unknowns from a financial standpoint,” he said.

“And I will say that the people who came before us then said they were only interested in building medical facilities, only to come to find out that at least two of the businesses who approached us were highly involved in pushing the recreational aspect.”

A few community members discussed the upcoming moratorium lapse at council’s last meeting on Aug. 21. 

“We heard from Mr. John Kurtz, who is a medical cardholder, and I have great sympathy for him,” Gallo said. “I know some people have a legitimate medical need for their prescriptions, but I also know stories of how medical marijuana has been abused.

“I just don’t know how we can look in the eyes of our law enforcement, our elected officials, our educators and say ‘We don’t care about your concerns.’”

According to the Richland County Board of Elections, the City of Ontario recorded a 52% vote against Issue 2, with the measure failing by 103 votes. Only Ontario’s 2-A precinct recorded a majority in favor of Issue 2.

Council to discuss options, zoning for cannabis sales at future meetings

At-large councilman Dave Rehfeldt suggested extending the moratorium for about 45 days and discussing the city’s options and council members’ personal research at each meeting before Oct. 31.

“I would like to talk about this for the next three meetings,” Rehfeldt said. “I think we owe it to ourselves and to the citizens to talk about this in public.

“We have basically sat on this for six months sat on this and haven’t done anything at all. I’m done with that, let’s get something resolved. If we have to table it, we’ll table it again, but let’s at least talk about it a few times.”

Gallo said the city could also consider a “permanent” moratorium that council members could repeal at a later date if they wished.

At-large councilman Kyle Webb suggested Ontario council monitor how dispensary operations go in Mansfield and make decisions from there.

“I still don’t know how exactly I feel on this topic, but the fact that Mansfield is seemingly going to allow it lessens the push for medical customers in town because people wouldn’t have to drive as far,” he said.

“It would be interesting to see how it goes in Mansfield and I want to make sure we do it the right way wherever council wants to with this.”

Mayor Kris Knapp said he asked Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry about commercial cannabis sales last week.

“Mayor Perry gave the recommendation to look at our zoning ordinances and put specific measures in place before we move forward,” Knapp said.

“There’s some very important ordinances we need to have in place to do this right if we want to be open to dispensaries at all.”

Council members decided to pass a moratorium extension through Oct. 31 and plan to discuss the issue at caucus meetings on Sept. 18 and Oct. 2 and 16.

Caucus meetings commence at 6:15 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Council meetings follow at 7 p.m. with an opportunity for public commentary.

Council discusses legislation on temporary jobs pay 

Council members also read two ordinances brought about due to Knapp serving as service-safety director and mayor for a period of three weeks for a second time Wednesday night.

Knapp began his role as mayor on Aug. 1 and appointed Adam Gongwer to the service safety director position on Aug. 21. 

The legislation council discussed Wednesday involved one ordinance specifically addressing Knapp’s pay for the weeks he was overseeing both roles. He earned a portion of the mayor’s salary of $56,650 for those weeks. 

Knapp’s former service safety director pay was $75,500 annually. If passed, the legislation would retroactively pay him at the service safety director rate instead of the mayor’s rate only for those three weeks.

Law director Andrew Medwid offered some clarification on the ordinance.

“He would not receive two salaries if this passes,” Medwid said. “With that being said, I wanted to note that we’re a statutory government and the Ohio Revised Code prohibits in-term statutory increases or decreases.

“However, this issue is not quite as clear. The Ohio Attorney General opined in 1983 that cities can give pay raises to city officials mid-term because that is a core substantive local power only affecting the internal workings of the city.”

Another ordinance council members read Wednesday referred generally to anyone who temporarily covers an elected position that isn’t their own.

If passed, this ordinance would allow the official to earn the salary of the position they’re covering, but not two salaries.

“My personal opinion is this is a minor amount of money and I’m not worried about that,” Knapp said. 

“I know that being service safety director prior to being mayor is a unique situation, but we also have other employees in the city who cover dual roles. I’d like to take a look at this and have a process for handling those situations.”

Council will read the ordinances at its Sept. 18 meeting and take a vote then.

Also in Wednesday’s meeting:

• Knapp presented a proclamation honoring National Recovery Month to Richland County Mental Health Board manager of clinical programs and services Scott Basilone.
• Knapp said Ontario’s splash pad in Marshall Park will close for the season on Sept. 29. 
• Knapp said he and newly appointed service safety director Adam Gongwer are working to oversee zoning inspector responsibilities together after Michael Morton resigned last week for a new job opportunity. The mayor will interview candidates and appoint a new inspector.
• Gongwer said during his report that Raising Cane’s and a new Starbucks slated for 2005 August Drive are in touch with city engineers on plans and demolition permits. Denny’s left the 720 N. Lexington-Springmill Road property sooner than expected, so Gongwer said Cane’s could be ahead of schedule. 
• Knapp said he is meeting with State Sen. Mark Romanchuk to discuss state support for how to get electricity at Ontario Commerce Center, the former General Motors site. 
• Economic development committee chair Josh Bradley said the 20-year comprehensive plan steering committee is discussing an implementation schedule for Ontario’s Comprehensive Plan with Reveille president Glenn Grisdale. He said Grisdale will visit Ontario and present to the steering committee and council in October.