Amid charges of sexism and cronyism, along with complaints of inconsistency, members of the Waukegan City Council were once again unable to reach an agreement on the creation of a public safety committee or how to handle the sale of hemp products.
Despite numerous discussions with a variety of turns, legislation both banning or regulating the sale of hemp products and creating a public safety committee are no closer to resolution.
The council voted 6-3 to cease debate on the establishment of a public safety committee Monday at City Hall, despite a last-minute compromise offer and meeting as the Committee of the Whole will reconsider whether to ban or regulate hemp.
Discussions on the regulation of hemp products began in January as Mayor Ann Taylor initiated a proposal to prevent shops with a tobacco license from selling them. Ald. Jose A. Guzman, 2nd Ward, wanted to monetize the effort with a fee for a special license.
After Guzman marshaled enough votes within the committee, Stewart Weiss, an attorney with corporation counsel Elrod Friedman, prepared an ordinance that still lacked some specifics on buyers’ ages, distance requirements from schools and more.
Taylor suggested purchasers be 21 to purchase cannabis, as they must at a dispensary in Illinois. It is also the legal age for alcohol and buying cigarettes. Guzman had other ideas.
“I still feel it should be 18 years old,” Guzman said. “At 18 years old, you can go to war. You can be sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole. That’s stating you are more than enough of an adult.”
Before Guzman finished making his suggestions, Ald. Juan Martinez, 3rd Ward, who voted for regulations in February, interrupted. Martinez said he changed his mind, and now favors a ban.
“We have to look at the moral issue here, Martinez said. “If we were to allow it at 21, we are letting people know out there it’s OK because we want to get extra revenue. Shame on me for voting for it the first time. I think we need to get that crap out of Waukegan.”
After a motion to reconsider is made and seconded, Weiss said it would be discussed at the next scheduled meeting. Taylor said after the meeting the Committee of the Whole next meets on March 18 at City Hall.
Ald. Victor Felix, 4th Ward, first asked for a public safety committee several months ago. Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward, said he has requested it 11 times. Felix worked with Weiss to develop the elements of an ordinance. He presented it to the council on Monday.
Felix said the committee will function like the council’s other five panels — finance and purchasing, community development, government operations and oversight, public works and infrastructure and code revision, union relations and appeals — reviewing legislation.
Among the issues Felix said the committee will review are quality-of-life issues, including police and fire, crime reduction, road safety, the environment, community health, pollution, hazardous materials, nuisances, moral offenses, property and public peace.
Though committees are appointed by the mayor, Felix wanted an ordinance that would initially include the members. He said they would be his three freshmen colleagues — Guzman, Martinez and Ald. Michael Donnenwirth — and Turner.
Picking an all-male committee quickly drew criticism from Taylor Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, Ald. Edith Newsome, 5th Ward, and Ald. Thomas Hayes, 9th Ward. Florian asked why there were no women, and only one experienced council member.
Newsome, who has served on the council longer than the five proposed committee members combined, was critical of Felix’s choices and methods. She said the briefing they received from him last week was inconsistent with what was proposed Monday.
“Since I’ve been on this council, there has never been a committee that has been created by the council,” Newsome said. “Your briefing said council is to vote on the members. Now you are dictating.”
“I think it’s just interesting that we decided to change this when you have a female mayor, and you put no females on the committee,” Taylor added.
Felix said the senior council members were on three or four committees, while the newer members were on one or two. Turner, who is in his second term, is on two. Felix denied any sexist intentions.
“It’s not sexist at all. You’re using a talking point and that’s OK, but it has nothing to do with the sex or nothing like that,” Felix said. “I expected it and I was prepared,” he added after the meeting.
Hayes was critical of both what he considered sexism, and his colleagues who were concerned about public safety while at the same time were willing to allow merchants to sell unregulated hemp products.
“I think it’s a really bad look to create a boys club to pursue your own agenda because that’s what it is, and that’s what it comes down to,” Hayes said.
“If members of this council are so concerned with public safety, I have heard very strong arguments (from them) in favor of allowing unregulated drugs to be sold in our community,” he continued. “It is an unbelievable contradiction”
After Hayes, Newsome, Taylor and Florian issued their criticism, Turner, who chairs the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, suggested a compromise by incorporating public safety into his committee. He said Felix could lead those discussions.
“I’m the chairman of public works,” Turner said. “In the context of public safety, let Felix (be co-chair and) run public safety discussions under public works. Let’s put this to bed. It’s low-hanging fruit. Let’s knock it out of the park.”
Florian quickly said she supported the idea. Taylor said the public works committee once handled public safety until seven years ago.
No timeline was set for future discussions.