From: [email protected] on behalf of eSCRIBE.Admin To: Tonya Hussain
Subject: Public Comment Received
Date: Monday, April 14, 2025 6:20:21 PM
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User Ted Godshalk has enter the following comment(s):
The expansion of hours for cannabis sales is the wrong way to proceed prior to any experience with this business type in our city. While I am against any compromise on this issue, Mr.
Morrison has suggested that the Weed Bar could have different hours from the other sales outlets. Give Sessions one extra hour at the maximum for a change. This issue shows You are “ all about the money” and little else. Please stand for public health and vote this down. for Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 9.60 of the National City Municipal Code to Expand Operating Hours for Store Front Cannabis Retail Facilities. in Regular City Council Meeting 4/15/2025 6:00:00 PM
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From: Ted Godshalk
To: Public Comment
Subject: Public Comment for Council meeting Item # 9.2 from Mr. Ted Godshalk:
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 11:51:20 AM
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Public Comment for Council meeting Item # 9.2 from Mr. Ted Godshalk:
Councilors,
At the last Council meeting for the first reading for this proposed change, there was an overwhelming number of people who explained to you why you should not accept this change. If you need to review their comments, please watch the video of your meeting. And then ask yourself if this just “all about the money."
The proposed change to the National City Municipal Code section 9.60.250.(G) is a mistake and to change the regulations for Cannabis operators shows that the industry has a very strong INFLUENCE on our Council. The operators of Sessions, a weed bar, are backed by the Sycuan Tribe and casino money and is in business in National City to maximize profits. Any change to this ordinance would show that you, as decision makers for our community, are more interested in profits and revenue than in the health and safety of our community. The staff report lists three FALSE results from the change.
First, the report states that the change will align the city’s regulations with State law. This was not the intention of Mayor Sotelo-Solis and the council members who supported the original ordinance. The claim everyone made at that time was quite the opposite. The argument went:
the state was going to come in and force the city, and all cities, to allow cannabis sales and give more to the industry than a city would prefer. Now the staff, and the chief proponent, Mr.
Bush, claim this needs to be done to “align.” Hypocrisy.
Second, Mr. Bush and the weed bar operators claim that the expanded hours allow the National City bar to be more competitive with other sellers. This idea of helping Sessions be competitive is simply ridiculous when you consider that the city has allowed two other dispensaries ON THE SAME STREET! You and the operators have competition already. You know that, so don’t rely on that argument to support a farcical claim.
Third, the claimed intent that changing the hours would ”enhance community safety and compliance,” by allowing uniform hours across all operators is also just ridiculous. The operators of the Sessions weed bar are not in the business to run the Black Market sales out of town. They don’t care about local hiring practices. They don’t care about labor agreements.
They cannot be concerned with traffic accidents 1/2 mile south or north on Highway I-5, or even a 1/2 mile into National City. They do not care about the impacts of their business on the families and the young people in the South Bay. They do not care if NCPD has more calls for service in the area surrounding the bar. These things are not their “business.” You will never know if more hours of marijuana sales facilitates the use of the drug by a sailor who goes onto the Naval Base San Diego and has a serious workplace accident.
You will never know if a young college student from Old Town National City pops into Sessions and buys some weed and DOES NOT GO TO CLASS or continues to work to graduate with a degree. You need to show more concern for our community.
Mr. Bush and the operators state that the current hours reduce weed sales and profit by 1/4. If this was true, total sales would be equally spread over the whole day’s work. The sales during the six o’clock morning hour would have to equal every other hour. I doubt this true, and I DOUBT ALL OF THE CLAIMS BY MR. BUSH AND THE OPERATORS.So should you.
Mr. Bush and Mr. Rodriguez are the only two members of the current city council that have voted in favor of cannabis sales and use in National City. When they endorse the idea of more hours, more business, more sales, more locations, and more taxes they are following the very playbook of the conservative politicians, the full-blown capitalists. Those conservatives, like these two NC Councilors in this instance, push for business to maximize profits. Do not doubt for one minute that PROFIT is all the Sessions weed bar is all about.
Mr. Bush’s enthusiasm for the Grand Opening of Sessions was shown clearly on his Facebook page last week. He clearly has made friends with the weed sellers, looks forward to patronizing the weed bar, looks past the risks and warnings, and eagerly promotes the sales of marijuana in its many strengths and forms.
In conclusion: You heard at the last meeting and during many, many previous Council meeting’s Zoom call-in Public Comments that there are serious health and social risks involved with this business.
I think you know the risks. Turn down any and all changes to the ordinance in the Municipal Code.
Ted Godshalk
From: [email protected] on behalf of eSCRIBE.Admin To: Tonya Hussain
Subject: Public Comment Received
Date: Monday, April 14, 2025 6:16:24 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders.
User Ted Godshalk has enter the following comment(s):
The public does not know that your city department has an annual budget of almost 1 million dollars; $1,000,000. You are all in this together. To see your department expenditures to this point in the fiscal year only emphasizes the fact that you have driven the public to see you all as “employees.” The point of this report is not that the council is "on track” with its spending, but that it is clear that it should be about the one million dollars that you could save. for City Council Expenditure Report July 2024 through January 2025 – FY2025 in Regular City Council Meeting 4/15/2025 6:00:00 PM
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