CITY RE-THINKING PERMIT PROCEDURE

Jacksonville Beach may make changes

JACKSONVILLE BEACH - When a judge sided with organizers of a Hempfest
held Saturday and forced the city to give them a permit, that sparked
the city to think about reviewing its policies on hosting festivals.

City Manager George Forbes said he, the city attorney and city staff
could propose changes to the city's festival policy regarding events
with First Amendment issues as does the Cannabis Action
Network-sponsored Hempfest.

Orange Park's Scott Bledsoe, who is a local organizer for the network,
said the event added nearly 1,000 signatures to a ballot initiative
for the year 2000. The Florida ballot proposal asks for the
legalization of marijuana used medicinally. The group has gathered
about 40,000 signatures and needs 400,000 by 1999.

The Cannabis Action Network argued that the city's policy of having
its Special Events Committee approve festivals threatened the events'
content. Also, the group said the city's policy forcing the group to
have insurance was an unreasonable financial requirement.

Forbes said it's likely the city will change its policy for events
concerning freedom-of-speech issues, but not change its policy for
festivals in general. Forbes did not say when.

Gary Edinger, a Gainesville attorney who represents the action
network, said the city's policy is unconstitutional and should be
changed. A federal judge agreed with Edinger and granted a permanent
injunction.

But Edinger supported Forbes' idea that an event such as a rock
concert differs from a politically oriented rally.

Bledsoe said Hempfest went so close to plan that it was a surprise,
but that was the only surprise. The crowd averaged 200 to 300 people,
which Bledsoe said consisted of steady waves of participants coming
and going.

However, Bledsoe was concerned about undercover police officers who
were present.

Jacksonville Beach police Sgt. Steve Corbitt said there were eight
arrests. One person was arrested for delivery of drug paraphernalia,
one person was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and six
people were arrested for smoking marijuana.

Corbitt said two uniformed officers and six plainclothes officers
patrolled the grounds Saturday. Usually, there are only four
undercover officers for festivals, Corbitt said, but the department
decides how many uniformed officers patrol based on the type of
incident expected.

Checked-by: "Rich O'Grady"