County attorney heads to northern California for weed conference

He’s going to smoke…er, speak about marijuana

County commissioners approved an out-of-state travel request in late February so county attorney David Baumgarten can meet with the Consortium of Northern California Counties to discuss Colorado’s experiences with the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Commissioner Paula Swenson stuttered a bit when she summarized the request. “…so the county attorney can go to California to smoke marijuana,” she said. Laughs filled the commissioners’ meeting room and Swenson corrected herself, “to spoke about marijuana. Er, to speak about marijuana.”
Gunnison is now licensing and supporting legal grow operations. Advocates of legal marijuana distribution have been going through the paces to get Gunnison more exposure on the so-called weed map, and recreational pot shops should start popping up in the lower end of the valley shortly.
The county wants to determine in the near future how to most efficiently manage controversial matters regarding marijuana distribution in Gunnison. County attorney Baumgarten visits northern California March 4-6 and since the county consortium requested his attendance, they will pay all travel costs.