The Des Moines City Council invited me to take part in the September 2020 public comment period for marijuana decriminalization efforts. I just got off the phone with the Des Moines City Clerk of Court. She tells me today’s meeting this afternoon at 2:30 pm is open to the public but does not have public comments being accepted today.
Next Monday there is another city council meeting where public comments will be accepted. If you would like to comment on marijuana decriminalization efforts by the Des Moines Marijuana Enforcement Task Force, this next meeting might be discussing that issue. I have yet to see the agenda for the meeting as it is not posted on the city website. However, the letter I received from the Chair of the Task Force says the second week of September will be the time for public commenting on Des Moines marijuana decriminalization policy proposals.
To sign up to comment at next week’s meeting, you must do so BEFORE TODAY’S END OF BUSINESS HOURS. At 5 PM tonight, if you have not submitted a request to comment publicly you shall most likely not be allowed to take part and will have to wait until the following week. To submit a request to speak, click this link and follow the instructions.
To see each meeting announced follow this website link for the Des Moines City Council meeting publications and agenda notices.
Since this next week appears to be the likeliest week for any public comments to be accepted I’m signing up. If you have any tips, ideas, or suggestions as to what I should say, feel free to email me at jason@letusdisagree.com.
For more updates, as well as video of tonight’s city council meeting, follow WeedPress on Facebook and subscribe to our email list on the right hand side of the page.
Take care,
Jason Karimi
Chief Boss Dude, WeedPress blog
Details for today’s meeting are as follows
MEETING NOTICE
Iowa Code Section 21.4 requires that each Council meeting shall be held at a place reasonably accessible to the public and ata time reasonably convenient to the public, unless for good cause such a place or time is impossible or impracticable. Given Mayor Cownie’s March 17, 2020 Proclamation Amendment, as amended, prohibiting indoor gatherings of ten or more persons on public property and Section One of the Governor’s June 25, 2020 Proclamation strongly encouraging vulnerable Iowans to limit participation in gatherings of any size and any purpose during the COVID19 outbreak and further given Section One Twenty Three of the Governor’s June 25, 2020 Proclamation suspending the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code §§ 21.8, 26.12, and 414.12, or any other statute imposing a requirement to hold a public meeting or hearing, the City Council has determined that a meeting at a physical place is impossible or impracticable and all Council meetings for the time being will be conducted electronically with the public allowed to attend per the instructions on this agenda. Meeting minutes will continue to be provided per the City’s normal course of business.
Governmental Body:
Mayor & City Council
Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Start Time: 2:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Place: Join Zoom Meeting
https://dmgov-org.zoom.us/j/97493472202?pwd=OGNES0c5VVVlNG5tZkV5VDJzSXVIdz09See Additional Meeting Information BelowAgenda:Discuss MPO Policy Committee Agenda/ConcernsJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://dmgov-org.zoom.us/j/97493472202?pwd=OGNES0c5VVVlNG5tZkV5VDJzSXVIdz09
Meeting ID: 974 9347 2202
Passcode: 718304
Dial by your location: (312) 626 6799
Meeting ID: 974 9347 2202
P. Kay Cmelik, City Clerk
cc: Mayor & City Council City Manager City Attorney Public Information Office Bulletin Board Issue Date: 09/04/20
WeedPress: The Paper Trail 
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