Members of Bloomington’s cannabis task force will be named in the coming days. (Photo from Facebook/Medical Marijuana Inc.) 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s cannabis task force will be up and running in the coming days as city council members say the first task should be to decide whether marijuana sales should be allowed at all in the city.

Mayor Tari Renner plans to reveal his choices for the 10 member panel later this week, and the council will vote on his picks next Monday.

At Monday night’s committee-of-the-whole meeting, council member Kimberly Bray said she’s talked to constituents struggling to wrap their minds around the idea that recreational marijuana use will be legal in Illinois.

“I think there’s a real struggle about how introducing another potentially addictive substance, and impairing substance into the community will help us achieve our goals,” said Bray.

“Haste makes waste,” said Bray, while Council member Donna Boelen called for a “methodical” and “thoughtful” process.

However, Council member Jamie Mathy said the need to decide soon about local marijuana sales creates a sense of urgency for the task force to get to work.

“If two members of the Bloomington Police Department are on the task force, I want to hear what they have to say. I want to hear if there’s somebody from the Chamber of Commerce that’s on there, I want to hear what they have to say,” said Mathy.

“I want to hear from all those people sooner than later,” Mathy also said.

Mayor Renner said task force members will include Police Chief Dan Donath and Council members Jenn Carrillo and Julie Emig. The mayor will leave it up to the task force to choose its chairman even though Carrillo initially lobbied to lead the group.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]