California Cannabis Voice Humboldt (CCVH) announced the immediate hiring of political consultant and community organizer, Richard Marks, as it becomes clear state Senate Bill 1262 will not protect the rural cannabis community. CCVH is a newly formed political action committee dedicated to the preservation of the cannabis cultivation community and patient access to medical cannabis statewide.
Marks’ job is to organize legitimate cannabis growers in Humboldt County into a powerful unified voice and create sustainable and fair cultivation regulations. Marks understands the current positive financial impact of the industry on the County and the potential devastating effects bad regulations will mean to the future.
“We will give the growers comfort through a public process to arrive at sensible regulatory reform embracing environmental sustainability and providing relief from indiscriminate enforcement actions.” Marks said. “I’m excited for the prospect of legitimizing growers in Humboldt County.”
Marks is a lifetime organizer. He currently serves as the Humboldt Domestic Violence Services treasurer, the Mad River Softball Association president, and the North Coast Rail Authority director. He is president of the Humboldt Bay Recreation and Conservation District Board of Commissioners and the former director of the Samoa Peninsula Fire District. He spent 28 years as a heavy equipment operator for a local pulp mill where he was president of the Local 49 union representing workers, and he was a successful union organizer for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers.
As a political consultant, Marks successfully consulted the successful campaigns of four district supervisors, including most recently Virginia Bass’s campaign for 4th District Supervisor. Marks also consulted several local city council and school board candidates.
Marks is a lifelong resident of the North Coast, has been married for over 35 years to his wife Robin, and has two adult sons.
10 comments:
OK, Mark, you're on. There are two of us 215 medical mj patients living in our FED rent-subsidized apt complex here in Rio Dell who are continually facing eviction by the corporate management. Only the manager on site's wishy-washy attitude staves off us being homeless. I'm 70 and the other fellow is a quadriplegic M.S. patient. California Fair Housing refuses to help even though their bylaws demand them to enforce medical treatment to patients as rights to California citizens. Can your organizing help us?
Congratulations Richard on the new job. I'm sure that you will serve them well.
btw, it sure didn't take your old boss long to start kissing up to the lefty/trails contingent in todays op ed. I guess it's say goodby to any efforts to continue fixing the Planning Department and supporting the business communities efforts to create jobs. Virginia has proven that government is our only savior and the more the better. Same with taxes. bI'm emberressed to have supported her in the past. I voted Kerrigan this time-same policies as Bass but at least he's honest about his intentions.
King Richard. As a constituent of yours in your Harbor Commissioner hat. How will I know when you have your weed activist hat on and public servant hat off and visa versa?
Inquisitively yours,
Jon
word count...38.
Constituent Jon: That is a fair question. If there is any cannabis related business that looks like a conflict in front of the Harbor District I would recuse myself from that business. Into my second term and can't recall any cannabis related topics. Very nice word count Jon.
Steve Lewis: We can talk sometime. I am not sure how to approach that legally. Will have to research.
One more question Your Grace, you will be sure to distinguish you weed activism from the Democratic one yes? I would appreciate it if you disallow your latest paid crusade to attach itself to "progressive" or Democratic causes. Yes there is overlap, but I am a progressive and a Democrat who is exteeeemly skeptical of the methods weed is taking to legalization. Medical mj my right foot.
I'm also glad to hear you will recuse yourself when necessary because I'm thinking mjs use of water inland would bias your opinion on at least some water issues that the Harbor Commission covers.
Some day King Richard I'd like you to take a walk around Coopers Gulch with me and help me explain to the children there the importance of waiting to smoke until ____ age. What will the age be? I mean unlike peanuts, mj doesn't kill anyone. Why have an age limit?
Oh dear, word count like 150. Thank you for you consideration.
I'd like to get Maggie Fleming involved too as it would be her office that would enforce eviction of us 215 medical mj tenants. I'm available most any time as my big NA inter-tribal lottery project moves at glacial speed.
Harbor Commissioner Richard...
What do you think of this* article with the subtitle: "With the Green Rush and the drought colliding this summer, is it too late to save Humboldt's watersheds?"
Does the work of Harbor Commissioner overlap at all with the county's water woes or how we are to advocate and grow a thirsty economy such as weed in our Mediterranean climate?
*http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/point-of-no-return/Content?oid=2673946
Jon: Are you assuming I am for renegade grows that suck water sheds dry? I am not. I am trying to organize growers who want to legitimize their business by offering to agree to regulations through a new county ordinance asking for decriminalization if they come forward. The movement is in it's infancy. Overlap with Harbor work? That is far fetched.
Just saying, it's a good opportunity for you to define terms. How many growers do we want. How much landscape changes will we need so water can be properly stored. It seems like the fit in Humboldt with weed is less about a good fit agriculturally and more about a good fit socially (ie far from enforcement).
Yes, I have a great deal to learn about the role of a Harbor Commissioner, sincerely. As a novice, I'm just assuming that sustainable river flows would be among your interests.
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