GAYLORD, Michigan — While the city council in this small city in Central Michigan might be comfortable with the recreational use of marijuana, the panel isn’t ready yet to allow the open consumption of the drug in the city.
And by a 4-2 vote earlier this week, the council amended the city’s marijuana ordinance to allow the temporary suspension of marijuana licenses even if there is a minor violation while rejecting a proposal for a cannabis golf outing in August. The small inland city of just over 4,000 residents sits about 60 miles northeast of Traverse City and about 60 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
Stephen Hartz, Mike Ryan, Mayor Todd Sharrard and Vic Ouellette voted in favor of the motion while council members Jordan Awrey and Alan Witt were opposed.
Council changed the ordinance even after Ouellette cautioned against that action.
“If we change the ordinance we will be bombarded with (requests) for more cannabis outings,” he said.
517 Golf, a Michigan social media and marketing company, sought a change in the ordinance so it could host a celebrity golf outing on Aug. 28-29 at the Otsego Resort featuring John Daly and actor Christopher McDonald. Daly is a professional on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. McDonald portrayed Shooter McGavin in the movie “Happy Gilmore.”
At first, the group wanted to allow the sale and consumption of cannabis and related products on the resort grounds during the two-day event. They modified the proposal to eliminate the sale of pot and related products and just permit the consumption of marijuana in a designated area on the resort property.
“We will serve alcohol and food that weekend like we do every weekend,” Gary Vollmer, owner of the Otsego Resort, told the council. “The only difference is that there will be 3,000 square feet in which individuals can smoke cannabis. We will have a quasi-police force to make sure people will not be smoking outside of that 3,000 square foot area.”
Despite the security measures outlined by Vollmer and 517 Golf officials, there was concern about the event. Rachel Smith, who lives near the resort, was worried about a large number of people consuming not only marijuana but alcohol as well and noted that she has small children who use the backyard that is close to the Otsego Club property.
Gaylord Police Chief Frank Claeys said organizers had agreed to not allow alcohol consumption in the same area as marijuana was being used.
That wasn’t enough to persuade a majority of the council to grant a license for the golf outing. It’s not clear if the outing will take place without the use of marijuana.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.
