PETITION FORCES VOTE ON MARIJUANA IN TELLURIDE

TELLRUIDE A successful citizens' petition has forced a question onto this
fall's municipal ballot asking voters in Telluride if they want enforcement
of laws against adults possessing small amounts of marijuana to be made the
lowest priority for the town marshal.

"Town Council was given this referendum, and they followed all of the
rules," Mayor Pro Tem Roberta Peterson said. "We either could approve it
right then and there or put it to the ballot. We had no other choice."

Town Council member Stu Fraser said he did not believe the pot question
would pass.

"If it does, it will be challenged in court," Fraser said.

Administrative and judicial functions of the town government cannot be put
to a democratic vote, he said.

"We're pleased that the council gave us pretty good confirmation of our
petition drive," said Ernest Eich, one of the petition organizers.

"I think it's a mistake to make it that way. If you want a law changed,
change the law. Don't tell the law enforcement how to do its job," said San
Miguel Sheriff Bill Masters, a former Telluride town marshal.

"I am not in support of the initiative," Robertson said.

She said she thinks the petitioners would have gotten more support from the
Town Council if they had made it a medical marijuana question. Robertson
also said she thought the ballot question reinforced a wrong perception
that Telluride was lax on drugs.

"I've lived here every day for 34 years, and I don't think we're lax on
drugs at all," she said. "There's been many drug busts in this community.
We don't want kids in our community doing drugs. I think we've got as many
drug abusers as any community.

"We have a lot of festivals here, and maybe people are using drugs at these
festivals, but go to any festival in the world and people are going to be
using drugs," Robertson said. "We are not a drug culture up here by any means."