[420 Girl]

With just four voting members present, and audience concerns over the language in the ordinance, the Fenton Township Board of Trustees postponed taking any action on a proposed Medical Marijuana Ordinance at its meeting on Monday.

 Supervisor Bonnie Mathis, Treasurer John Tucker and Trustee Ken Hill were absent.

  Although no Fenton Township residents addressed the board with their concerns regarding the proposed ordinance, a few individuals from outside the township took the opportunity to express their objections to the township’s desire to establish its own regulations.

  Carrie Justice, of the city of Linden, said she had concerns that one condition of the ordinance, which requires primary caregivers to register with the township, would violate patients’ privacy rights. She said releasing this information could make caregivers a target of thieves.

  Karen Jones, of Davison, told the board she was confused with some of the language in the ordinance and believed the ordinance would discriminate against married couples if both of them were caregivers and medical marijuana patients.

 Jones told the board that she was a registered nurse and understood the regulations, but felt this proposed ordinance’s conditions were too stiff.

 Gershom Avery, of Dexter, told the board that he has been repeatedly victimized by thieves breaking into his home to steal his medical marijuana. He said the medical marijuana is perceived by thieves as being of value. He objected to patients’ privacy rights being violated.

 Avery was accused of shooting three men in November 2007 after they broke into his Dexter home. He is on probation out of Washtenaw County from that incident.

 Another woman, who did not identify herself, said she was concerned with one condition that prohibited patients and caregivers from living within 1,000 feet of a school. She told the board that she believed it was wrong for a patient who has been living in their home for 30 years to suddenly be denied the right to use legalized medical marijuana in their home, if this ordinance was adopted.

 Another audience member from Burton told the board that she objected to the condition that two people in the same household could not be medical marijuana patients. She said both she and her husband are medical marijuana patients and caregivers. She said the ordinance would make it illegal for them to continue living together.

 Clerk Robert Krug told the audience that the board had no desire to deny any one their legal rights; however, the board is responsible for protecting the rights of everyone in the township.

  Township attorney Richard Cooley said the township’s proposed ordinance should be reviewed again. He also said the law, approved by voters, which legalizes medical marijuana, is still a work in progress in Michigan.

 The board expects to hold another public hearing and vote on the proposed ordinance at its meeting on Monday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m.

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