An equal opportunity

Here at the Imperial County Planning and Development Services, we spoke with the director Jim Minnick, who says the county has done their research. And found that a lottery, just like the one being held on April twentieth, is the most fair and equal process.

Minnick said, “we’ve reviewed them all. They’ve all passed our initial review stage. And so this April twentieth we’ll hold a public lottery based on those applications which will have the applicants come. And we will go through a lottery process to see who is able to move forward the process.”

Of the twenty three applicants who applied, five will be chosen to sell recreations marijuana online. Five will be able to sell recreation marijuana wholesale and one will be chosen to provide a physical medicinal marijuana facility.

But Calexico, Chamber of Commerce member, Ben Horton, believes that those who qualified for the lottery should have a clean record. Horton said, “but also before people participate, we should check their backgrounds. Make sure they legally can participate. It wouldn’t do any good if somebody wins the lottery and suddenly later on you find out that person have felonies.”

The county approved the marijuana ordinance back in December. Minnick says it will creat jobs and revenue that will benefit the county, on top of providing marijuana for residents that need it.