YAMPA RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUSINESSES

Vote Joins Similar Ballot Questions in Steamboat, Oak Creek, Routt
County

Steamboat Springs -- After the Nov. 1 election, every municipality in
Routt County -- as well as the county itself -- will have a final
verdict on whether to allow medical marijuana dispensaries and grow
operations in their jurisdictions.

The Yampa Town Board approved last month the language for a ballot
question prohibiting medical marijuana centers and grow operations in
the town.

There are no dispensaries or grow operations operating in
Yampa.

November's election also will see ballot questions on banning medical
marijuana businesses in Steamboat Springs, Oak Creek and
unincorporated areas of Routt County.

Only the Hayden Town Council already has voted to ban medical
marijuana businesses, which members did in August 2010. Hayden's
elected officials did not take the issue to a public vote.

Yampa Town Trustee Jeff Drust said Friday that based on unofficial
polls and surveys taken last year, the town almost is divided evenly
on medical marijuana.

"People were very passionate on both sides of it," Drust said. "We
just thought it was the only fair way to do it, and all of us agreed."

He said he also was in favor of the public process occurring across
the county on the medical marijuana issue.

"I think it's good. I think people registered to vote, and they should
be able to decide," he said.

After the town hall meetings and surveys on the issue in fall 2010,
the Yampa Town Board originally wanted to hold a special election
before a state moratorium on new medical marijuana businesses was
lifted in July 2011.

However, since a new state bill passed this spring extending the
moratorium on new businesses, the town decided to wait until the
county-coordinated fall election.

Referendum 2A reads as follows:

"Shall the operation and licensing of medical marijuana centers,
optional premises, cultivation operations and medical
marijuana-infused products manufacturers be prohibited in the town of
Yampa, Colo., in accordance with the requirements of Colorado law?"

The question will appear with state Proposition 103 (an income tax
increase to support public education at all levels), the South Routt
School Board election and the question about a ban on medical
marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas of the county.

Drust said he couldn't begin to predict what the outcome might
be.

"It's a toss-up," he said.