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Public commenters press Sunnyside council on recreational cannabis and accounting for ARPA funds
Summary
During public comment at the March 24 meeting residents urged caution on local recreational marijuana policy, questioned past ARPA spending and asked for audits; council acknowledged the concerns and said staff will investigate.
Several members of the public used the March 24 public‑comment period to press the Sunnyside City Council on two recurring issues: whether the city should allow recreational cannabis retail and how American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were handled by previous administration.
Why it matters: Both topics touch on city policy and finances. Recreational cannabis policy would shape local regulatory and public‑health approaches; possible misallocation of ARPA funds could expose the city to audit risk and financial penalties if federal use restrictions were not followed.
What speakers said
- Ladon Lindy (Yakima County commissioner, Maple Grove Road) read an excerpt from Alex Berenson and urged caution about recreational marijuana, arguing the city should weigh risks to youth and public health and noting that public messages from the city can influence perceptions. He said revenue potential appears limited while risks to residents may be greater.
- Sharon Dolan and Britt (Bridal) Moore raised questions about past city accounting for ARPA funds. Dolan asked whether enterprise funds had been consolidated improperly and whether relevant state RCWs for borrowing from enterprise funds were followed, warning that misuse of ARPA funds (which are use‑restricted) could trigger penalties and audits. Moore asked for clarification on an item described as $140,000 in opioid funds and for details about expected pool tax receipts.
How council responded
City staff acknowledged the questions. The city manager said he and the mayor had discussed a potential forensic audit and that the manager and new staff were evaluating records. Councilors said they had the same concerns about record gaps and asked staff to investigate, and they flagged that any ARPA re‑use questions should be resolved before large expenditures.
Other public comments
- Maria Fernandez (AEA) urged support for proclamations honoring Women’s History Month and César Chávez Day and spoke against what she described as fear‑mongering on cannabis; she urged focusing on jobs, youth programming and mental‑health resources rather than alarmist rhetoric.
- Gracie Sexton (Washington State Department of Agriculture) urged residents to register for a free Japanese-beetle treatment program beginning April 1 and offered to return with a fuller presentation.
Ending: Council acknowledged the public questions and directed staff to follow up on ARPA accounting and to provide clearer information to the council and the public at a future meeting.
