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<br />MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE <br />FEBRUARY 20, 2024 <br />AUDITORIUM <br />Present: Councilmembers Baker, Shachner, Strebig <br />Also Present: Councilmembers Marx, Bullock, Mayor George, Law Director Vargo, Chief <br />Assistant Law Director Swallow, Council staff <br />Call to Order: 6:03 p.m. <br />Approval of the minutes of the February 12, 2024 meeting of the Public Safety <br />Committee. <br />A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the February 12, 2024 meeting. All <br />members voted in favor. Motion passed. Minutes approved. <br />ORDINANCE 40-2023 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it <br />receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council to amend <br />Sections 513.01 Definitions, 513.02 Gift of marihuana, and 513.03 Drug abuse; and <br />controlled substance possession or use of the Codified Ordinances of the City of <br />Lakewood and to repeal Section 513.045 Use or possession of marihuana <br />paraphernalia, to make these sections consistent with Chapter 3780 Adult Use <br />st <br />Cannabis Control of the Ohio Revised Code.(1 read & referred to Public Safety <br />nd <br />12/18/23; 2 reading 1/2/24) <br />Chair Baker introduced Ordinance 40-2023, noting that it is intended to revise the criminal code <br />as it relates to marijuana. He acknowledged that multiple updated versions of the ordinance had <br />been distributed prior to today’s meeting; a revised version from Councilmember Shachner as <br />well as a separate revised version authored by the Law Department. <br />Councilmember Shachner, the proponent of the ordinance, shared that the intent of Ordinance <br />40-2023 is to align Lakewood Codified Ordinances with new Chapter 3780 of Ohio Revised <br />Code, Adult Use Cannabis Control. He explained that the ordinance adds new definitions and <br />removes certain offenses that are obviated by the enactment of ORC Chapter 3780. <br />Councilmemebr Shachner went through the ordinance section-by-section, first noting that some <br />of what is drafted depends on policy decisions about how the City intends to treat certain <br />offenses. He looked to Council to debate those decisions. <br />He spoke in additional detail regarding the sections of the ordinance pertaining to definitions, <br />gifts of marijuana, drug abuse, and paraphernalia regulations. <br />At the invitation of the Chair, Law Director Vargo explained that the City’s prosecutors and <br />entire legal team worked on the ordinance to align Lakewood Codified Ordinances with Ohio <br />1 <br /> <br />