Pot forum at community center July 14

A Carson City marijuana dispensaries forum in mid-July on state law and a local ordinance is planned at the Bob Boldrick Theater in the city’s Community Center.

The July 14 session, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. that Monday and presentations a half hour later, will feature a half dozen people and a question-answer session afterward. The forum will be moderated by Barry Smith, director of the Nevada Press Association.

District Attorney Neil Rombardo will deliver welcoming remarks and an overview of issues. Panel presenters include Marla McDade-Williams, deputy division administrator with the Nevada Division of Public Behavioral Health; Steve Gilbert, medical marijuana program manager with the same state division; Lee Plemel, Carson City community development director, and Susan Dorr Pansky, city planning manager.

Carson City’s Board of Supervisors today is taking up first reading an ordinance dealing with city zoning and other local regulations to cover two dispensaries of marijuana for medical purposes, as well as locations for grow facilities, production of medical marijuana edibles and testing laboratories.

Kathy Bartosz of Partnership Carson City and Sierra Nevada Forums said Wednesday she has asked Plemel about delaying second and final reading of the ordinance until July 17 rather than July 3 in hopes more information on the issues involved and underlying facts can be discussed in a public forum before the ordinance is adopted. Plemel later said timing on final reading likely would be discussed during today’s board meeting.

The city’s Board of Supervisors also has yet to vote on policy regarding whether to opt in or out of establishing dispensaries and the system under state law, but had the ordinance prepared to be ready if an opt-in policy is passed.