Hello All,
Did you know that the city of Sonoma’s cannabis ordinance was updated in 2021 to allow and license a second dispensary?
Did you know the present Sonoma City Council placed putting the second dispensary out for bid in its 5 month plan in January of 2023?
If you live in the city of Sonoma or the Sonoma Valley, we need your help. Up to this point our medical patients and recreational consumers have been at the mercy of a sole provider in Sonoma. If you can't find what you need or want at the local dispensary, you still have to drive to Cotati or Santa Rosa or Napa. Or you pay crazy delivery fees. We deserve better access and more options. A monopoly is not fair and is not acceptable.
We've been informed that the city council will discuss releasing the RFP (Request for Proposal) for a second dispensary, likely at the April 3 City Council meeting. This opportunity is a make-or-break moment.
In order to get this process moving, we must show the city council that this is what we want as a community. 20 e-mails could do it. Don’t let this time and this opportunity pass us by. Please send an email to the City Council before the April 3 meeting.
Write to the mayor and each city council member individually, it will have more impact and will assure that you are heard. It is easy, just change the address each time. When we send e-mails to individual council members, we're more likely to get the attention of the entire city council.
To get you started, here are all the city council members and their e-mail addresses.
Jack Ding, Council Member
jack.ding@sonomacity.org
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Patricia Farrar-Rivas, Council Member
patricia.farrar-rivas@sonomacity.org
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John Gurney, Vice Mayor
john.gurney@sonomacity.org
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Sandra Lowe, Mayor
sandra.lowe@sonomacity.org
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Ron Wellander, Council Member
ron.wellander@sonomacity.org
Try this out for size. Change it up, tell your story and your viewpoint.
Dear Mayor_____
Or Dear Vice Mayor__________
Or Dear Council Member _______________
I am writing today to thank you for placing moving forward on the process to put a second cannabis dispensary in your 5 month goals for 2023. Placing this on the agenda for an April 2023 city council meeting, will be the first step and I urge you not to delay.
With everything learned from permitting the first dispensary, SPARC, the process will be much less complicated this time. I am sure there will be several interested applicants once the RFP goes out.
By moving forward there will be substantial benefits to the city of Sonoma and community members:
(Or choose to write about some of these benefits.)
Increased tax revenue to the city
Well paid jobs
More consumer choice
More completion resulting in better pricing
And last supporting local growers and businesses
Sincerely,
Name
Address
Thanks everyone!
Gil Latimer