The Haines Chamber of Commerce released results of its marijuana survey this week, with 82 percent of respondents agreeing the chamber should be a part of the conversation regarding the potential impact of marijuana use and sale in Haines.
The four-question survey was sent via email to the entire membership, or about 140 people, said chamber president Kyle Gray. “The result was overwhelmingly on the ‘yes’ side, but there wasn’t a whole lot of participation,” Gray said.
About 34 people responded to the anonymous survey. Seventy-eight percent said they would want a chamber representative seated on the Haines Borough’s yet-to-be-formed Marijuana Task Force, and 59 percent said the chamber should host a public forum for community discussion on marijuana activity in Haines.
Each question presented respondents with the opportunity to anonymously offer comments. On the public forum issue, one respondent suggested including speakers from municipalities that have already taken action on the issue, as well as state representatives tracking the progression of related laws through the legislature.
Though 58 percent agreed the chamber should host a forum, others called such an effort “beyond stupid” and “a monumental waste of time.”
“The marijuana discussion is not a new topic where we need to glean new information and holding a public meeting to hear both sides of the same old controversy would be a monumental waste of time,” one respondent wrote.
About 62 percent of Haines voters supported passage of Proposition 2, which legalized and commercialized marijuana in Alaska.
The chamber is moving forward with plans to hold a forum, likely in late April. The group will invite several people to speak, including state Rep. Sam Kito, D-Juneau, and Colorado State University economist Phyllis Resnick.
A marijuana-related kerfuffle took place at last week’s chamber board meeting when member Scott Sundberg made a motion to poll the membership about ousting member Bill Kurz from the board.
Kurz vocally opposed passage of Proposition 2 and said he does not want the chamber to wade into the marijuana discussion at this time.
Chamber executive director Debra Schnabel said Sundberg’s motion had to be rescinded because it didn’t abide by the organization’s bylaws.
Kurz is still on the board and said he will not resign from his seat, despite receiving feedback from other board members that he is no longer welcome.