OROVILLE SUPERVISOR TAKING HEAT OVER POT ID CARD VOTE

OROVILLE - Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly says he is "getting
hammered" over medical marijuana identification cards, an issue - at
least from his perspective - that has yet to be decided.

Tuesday, the county Department of Public Health asked the supervisors
to approve a package of proposed fee increases for a number of services.

The only item in the package discussed in the meeting was a $56 fee
to cover the cost of processing applications for medical marijuana
identification cards.

A law that went into effect in 2004 compels counties to process the
applications that also have to be approved by the state.

After a lengthy discussion that saw representatives of the Sheriff's
Office and the District Attorney's Office endorse the cards, Chico
Supervisor Jane Dolan offered a motion approving the entire package
of fees, including the pot ID cards.

The motion died for lack of a second, and that's where Connelly stepped up.

The Oroville supervisor offered a motion, asking the board to approve
everything in the package but the marijuana cards.

That motion was approved on a 3-2 vote with Connelly, Dolan and
Supervisor Mary Anne Houx of Chico in favor, and Board Chairman Kim
Yamaguchi of Paradise and Supervisor Curt Josiassen of Chico opposed.

However, according to Connelly, that wasn't supposed to be the end of
the discussion.

He said he thought, after voting on the other fees, the pot cards
would be presented as a separate item, but that didn't happen.

With the vote as taken, county Chief Administrator Paul McIntosh and
Phyllis Murdock, director of the Public Health Department, both said
the county would still have to issue the cards, but the cards would
be free to the applicants.

Murdock predicted that would cost the county about $5,800 a year.

Connelly said when the story appeared in Wednesday's paper, he found
himself both being "hammered" and getting thanked for arranging for
the free marijuana cards.

"I'm getting hammered as being the supervisor of medical marijuana,"
said Connelly.

"When I go to the local store and I get hammered and then I get
hammered by my mother and my wife, then I know people aren't getting
it," he added.

What the people aren't "getting," according to Connelly, is his intent.

"From my point of view we took no action on that item," said Connelly
of the Tuesday vote.

He said Dolan's motion, which would have approved the total fee
package, never made it to a vote.

"It died for the lack of a second. It was my intent to bring that
(the pot ID cards) back as a separate item for discussion," he said.

He explained he doesn't now and never has supported the idea of
medical marijuana.

His intention was to make it plain, in the extended discussion, that
he would vote for the cards only because law enforcement sees them as
a benefit.

During Tuesday's meeting Chief Deputy District Attorney Poncho Zarate
and Butte County Sheriff's Capt. Jerry Smith, both told the board the
cards would be a significant timesaver for cops in the street.

With the cards, law enforcement officers will be able to rapidly and
authoritatively determine if somebody in possession of marijuana has
it legitimately, they both explained.

While that discussion never took place, Connelly is trying to see that it does.

"There was no action taken by the board. It died for lack of a
second. That's the point," he said.

Connelly said he has already formally asked McIntosh to put the pot
ID cards back on the agenda, hopefully for the Dec. 13 meeting.

"I want to make sure the people have a different perception," he explained.

BACKGROUND: A vote taken Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors
apparently had the effect of making medical marijuana ID cards free
in Butte County.

WHAT'S NEW: Supervisor Bill Connelly says he is "getting hammered"
over the vote, but it came out much differently than he intended.

WHAT'S NEXT: Connelly wants the ID cards back on the supervisors
agenda to correct the confusion.