By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – The 10 people picked by Mayor Tari Renner to serve on Bloomington’s Cannabis Task Force include a pair of downtown business owners, a local Chamber of Commerce executive, and an addiction specialist.
The task force in the coming weeks will recommend how the city council should respond to a new state law legalizing recreational marijuana use.
Some key decisions include whether to allow pot sales in the city, or in certain parts of the community, and if the local government should tax cannabis sales.
Renner appointed to the task force Bistro owner Jan Lancaster, who also serves on Bloomington’s Public Safety and Community Relations Board. Renner also selected De Urban, who owns Alley Kats Art and Antiques.
Renner tapped John Walsh, Manager of Government and Public Affairs for the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, and addiction specialist Deb Carter.
Also named to the task force is Olivia Butts, who’s an Illinois State University Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation, and also a Black Lives Matter activist.
Linda Foster, President of the Bloomington-Normal Chapter of the NAACP, is another of Renner’s selections.
Bloomington Police Department’s representatives are Assistant Chief Greg Scott and Sgt. Aaron Veerman. Jenn Carrillo and Julie Emig are the City Council’s representatives.
The Council Monday night is expected to vote on Renner’s selections.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
