No on Amendment 64?

     Greeley City Council added to their October 16 meeting a resolution encouraging Greeley voters to say ‘no’ to Amendment 64. The proposed amendment, which Colorado voters will decide on when they cast their presidential votes, would allow people over the age of 21 to buy marijuana legally. The amount legal to possess would be limited to one ounce or less. It would also place a tax on the substance.

            Police Chief Jerry Garner stood up to give reasons for the suggestion. Some of the main reasons were that a vote yes would create a rift between federal and local law enforcement, developing brains could be harmed by use of the drug and drugged driving claims lives. After Garner spoke Mayor Tom Norton read the resolution, noting that City Council is legally allowed to give its opinion on statewide issues.

            So how do students feel about the issue? “I will be voting yes on it,” says UNC senior photography major Spencer Duncan. He says that regulating the sale of marijuana seems like a good idea to him. As for the conflict between this amendment and federal law, Duncan says “I think that’s something they will figure out if it happens.”

            Senior music major A.J. Wulf says he’ll vote no, but not for the reasons the police and City Council gave. “The Libertarian in me says that pot should be legal, but I don’t like potheads,” he said. On the conflict between local and federal government, “It would be nice to see the federal government enforcing its own laws.”

Farewell to Finance Director

     The October 2 city council meeting was permeated with well wishes for Tim Nash, the city’s finance director. Nash’s last day of work was Thursday, October 4 after thirty years with the city of Greeley.

            Of those 30 years of work, 25 have been as finance director. Counselor Robb Casseday started volunteering with the city after Nash became finance director. Casseday says that Nash knows the city and those who work for it well.

            “That experience has just been invaluable because he knows the city inside and out,” Casseday said of Nash’s years of work for Greeley.

            Casseday says that he has no doubt the city will be able to hire a good accountant, but that Nash’s experience and knowledge will be more difficult to replace.

            Nash said the best part of his job was working with city council, and that it was a lot of fun to work with the people who translate the wishes and needs of the citizens.

            “I really think it’s the people I work with. There are so many dedicated employees I work with that care about their jobs, and care about the city of Greeley,” Nash said.

            Conversely the hardest part of Nash’s job was balancing tough budgets.

            “Somebody benefits from every program the city has,” he said.