Media accounts across nation over the last weeks and months paint a portrait of an industry in decline all over California: Medical Marijuana. Starting with the Sacramento Bee there remain only eight stores, down from 99 that at one time operated in Sacramento County. Sacramento City has frozen permit applications for new dispensaries, while Sacramento County is cracking down in the unincorporated areas: Continue reading
I have no idea of the current status of Mr. David Rosenthal’s application to the county to open a pot dispensary in Nipomo. I have requested clarification from county planning, but have heard nothing as of yet. Based on Mr. Rosenthal’s presentation at the SCAC meeting on Monday 11/28/11, it is clear he intends to move forward as though his application is intact. Continue reading
I have just received an email from Mr. Brandon Gesicki of the Abel Maldonado campaign. The email is actually a forwarded email from an Eric Gamble, who represents himself as the Director of the Tri-M Rental Group. Tri-M is the partnership which owns the subject property that has been proposed as a marijuana dispensary in Nipomo. The email was sent to the San Luis Obispo County Planning Department, with a copy to Mr. Dan Woodson, current chair of the SCAC. I am attaching a copy of this email here: Tri-M Email Continue reading
As an update to my last post on the Nipomo marijuana dispensary, I spoke again this afternoon with Mr. Brandon Gesicki, of the Abel Maldonado campaign. Based on my discussion with Mr. Gesicki, I came away with the understanding that Mr. Maldonado has never favored or agreed renting to the individual, i.e., David Rosenthal (named in the application papers filed with the county) seeking to operate a marijuana dispensary in Nipomo. Mr. Gesicki confirmed that Mr. Maldonado does have an ownership interest (along with other partners) in Tri-M; however, Mr. Gesicki speaks only on behalf of Mr. Maldonado, and not Tri-M. Mr. Maldonado is a silent partner in the organization. And, it is Mr. Maldonado’s position that when Mr. Rosenthal first approached the Tri-M partnership about renting the building for a marijuana dispensary, the Tri-M partnership told him no. They further told Mr. Rosenthal that they would not sell him the subject property so that he could use it as a marijuana facility. Continue reading
When I returned home from dinner last evening I had received a telephone message from a Brandon Gesicki. Mr. Gesicki identified himself as working “with” Abel Maldonado–though did not identify in what capacity he works for the former Lt. Governor, and upcoming congressional candidate for 2012. From his website, however, it is clear Mr. Gesicki runs a political PR firm and has had long political ties to Mr. Maldonado. At Mr. Gesicki’s request I will post the message he left on my answering machine, verbatim: Continue reading
In a very strange twist to the latest Nipomo Marijuana Dispensary application, the name of Abel Maldonado, California’s former Lt. Governor, past State Senator, Assemblyman, and Santa Maria Mayor has surfaced. Mr. Maldonado may have an ownership interest in the building to be rented to the applicant wanting to open a marijuana dispensary in Nipomo. I have attached a 29 page Statement of Economic Interests Form which reflects that Abel Maldonado, Jr. has an ownership interest in Tri-M Rental Group, the same name that appears on the County’s application form as the owner of the building in question. Here’s the link to the financial disclosure information required of California politicians. Go to page 14 for details on Tri-M’s ownership interest in the property: Maldonado 2011
Again, the application paperwork is located here, and clearly shows Tri-M Rental Group as the building owner. Mr. Maldonado’s financial disclosure form clearly establishes he has an ownership interest in a Tri-M Rental Group in Santa Maria. I have placed a call to Mr. Kirby, whom I believe is representing Tri-M, and probably Mr. Maldonado to confirm this relationship and ownership; however, I have not yet received any response from Mr. Kirby. The only slim doubt is that the address given for Tri-M in the financial disclosure papers is a street address. The address given on the application to San Luis Obispo is a P.O. Box. I have no reason to believe there are two Tri-M Rental Groups operating out of Santa Maria. I would like to hear from the building owner’s representative to confirm or deny the relationships apparently disclosed by these forms.
I will continue to update this information and more as it becomes available.
As unbelievable as it sounds, San Luis Obispo County is once again considering Nipomo as the location for a marijuana dispensary, despite the overwhelming opposition of Nipomo residents to a similar project almost two years ago. See local media reports here and here. The South County Advisory Council (SCAC) will discuss the proposed project at their November 28, 2011 meeting held at the Nipomo Community Service District (NCSD) Board Room at 6:30 p.m. The meeting location is 148 S. Wilson Street, Nipomo, CA. If you have an opinion on this issue I am certain the SCAC board welcomes your input. Please attend and express your opinion to the SCAC. Continue reading
I just received an email notification from Dan Gaddis, Chair of the South County Advisory Council that the applicants for the Nipomo Marijuana Dispensary have filed an appeal of the Planning Commission’s denial of their application. The appeal will be heard by the entire Board of Supervisors sometime in late August or September.
If you have an opinion about whether Nipomo should have a Marijuana dispensary operating under the guise of “medical marijuana” contact all of the board of supervisors, not just our own supervisor, Katcho. You can find all the supervisor’s email addresses here.
The applicant’s appeal is here: appeal form- applicant_20100618162319
More to come . . .
The Los Angeles Times reports that a trial judge in Los Angeles County has issued an injunction prohibiting the sale of so called Medical Marijuana, concluding state law does not allow collectives to sell the drug: Continue reading
Similar to the Santa Maria Times story, the sister publication, The Adobe Press also reported on the SCAC hearing on the Marijuana Dispensary proposal in an article appropriately entitled “Reefer Madness.” The article is similar to the Times article, but is worth posting as well–getting the word out to the public at large, local government, local planning directors, and most importantly to Mr. Brody, Mr. Meredith the applicants, and Mr. Gross the land owner that Nipomo residents do not approve of or want this project in our community: Continue reading
