By a 7-1 vote, the Merrill Common Council approved an ordinance that would prohibit the sale or possession of any number of synthetic cannabinoids that have popped up recently and marketed as a fake form of marijuana.
Available in larger cities and through Internet sales, the substances have gained attention from law enforcement across the country due to the severe side effects they cause in some people. Merrill Chief of Police Ned Seubert said although there were no locations in Merrill that sold the substances, one teen had recently been treated at Ministry Health Care Good Samaritan Hospital for the side effects of smoking some.
Wausau and other area communities have also banned the sale and possession of the substances.
Seventh District Alderman Jeremy Thompson, who cast the lone nay vote on the ordinance, said the measure was unneeded as the state legislature was poised to ban the substances when it reconvenes after the first of the year.
Seubert said the measure was needed to allow Merrill police to charge offenders in municipal court and for the city to then receive the bulk of the proceeds from fines. The fines for a first offense for possession of the banned substances would be up to $150, the same as for possessing real marijuana.
The aldermen also debated then approved a pair of ordinance giving the street commissioner and city clerk 1.5 percent pay raises on May 1st.
The ordinances, which had their first and second readings at the Oct. 12 and Nov. 9 meeting, respectively, were seen as a way of being fair to the two elected officials, who saw their share of health insurance costs go up recently.
“If we are going to try to keep treating them like non-union employees, we have to give them the raises,” Alderwoman Anne Caylor said.
Steve Hass disagreed, saying the salaries for the positions were known when Clerk Bill Heideman and Street Commissioner Richard Lupton took out papers to run for the offices.
The two separate ordinances passed 5-3 with Hass, Dave Sukow and Thompson voting nay.
By a 7-0 vote with one abstention, the council approved the plans for the building of a senior housing development by William Seno at the corner of Eugene and Arthur streets.
By unanimous 8-0 votes, the council also approved the 2011 Landfill Remediation Action, Water Fund and Sewer Fund budgets.
By a 7-0 vote with one abstention, the council approved the plans for the building of a senior housing development by William Seno at the corner of Eugene and Arthur streets.
By unanimous 8-0 votes, the council also approved the 2011 Landfill Remediation Action, Water Fund and Sewer Fund budgets.