HOTCHKISS ATTORNEY URGES TOWN TO EXTEND MARIJUANA MORATORIUM

Hotchkiss town attorney Jim Briscoe suggested to the council at the
Aug. 5 meeting that trustees consider extending the current moratorium
disallowing any medical marijuana center or related business from
being established. The current moratorium would expire Sept. 1.

On July 1, the State of Colorado adopted legislation allowing existing
outlets to continue operating until July 1, 2011. At that point, all
dispensaries, grow operations and other medical marijuana-related
businesses would be required to comply with state and local
regulations that would be in effect at that time.

Extending the moratorium until the new state law is in effect would
give the council a year's time in which to conduct public hearings,
Briscoe said, and gauge how the community feels about having growing
operations, dispensaries and infused products produced and for sale,
and the retail taxation of those products, within the Town of Hotchkiss.

The council agreed to extend the moratorium with trustee Kelley Harper
abstaining.