Council Members Comments on Allowing Sales of Recreational Marijuana in Effingham

The vote by the Effingham City Council Tuesday night will permit the sale of recreational marijuana in Effingham after the first of the year.

Exactly when those sales will begin is yet to be determined. The City has to determine zoning guidelines that will determine where the sales can take place. It's likely that won't be decided until after the first of the year, so sales are not likely to begin on January 1.

The measure on the agenda was to prohibit sales, since sales become legal on January 1 in Illinois, unless a municipality opts out on allowing the sales.

The vote to prohibit sales in Effingham was two Yes...Mayor Mike Schutzbach and Commissioner Merv Gillenwater...and three No...Commissioners Hank Stephens, Larry Micenheimer and Libby Moeller.

We spoke with the Council members after the meeting about their vote and why they voted as they did:

Mayor Schutzbach:

Commissioner Stephens:

Commissioner Micenheimer:

Commissioner Gillenwater:

Commissioner Moeller: