Recall organizers demand investigation into ambulance operations; resident urges cap on cannabis shops

At the Feb. 2 Jackson City Council meeting, Sara Mix, speaking on behalf of the Recall for John Wieland, urged the council to order an independent investigation into local ambulance operations and demanded broader transparency reforms.

"These are not rumors. These are not exaggerations. These are real experiences from real people in our community," Mix said in a prepared statement accusing the ambulance service of long response times, refusing mental-health-related calls at certain hours, charging for transfers when no ambulance was used, altering reports to cover missed calls, and storing city-owned vehicles at the Ambulance Director's home. Mix asked for mandatory recordings of council meetings, full financial transparency, and an advisory board seat filled by a Jackson resident.

Mix said petitioners had submitted 265 recall signatures on Dec. 20 and then encountered shifting requirements in the recall review process, which she described as inconsistent and prejudicial. "When residents exercise their legal right to initiate a recall, the City Charter should have been a clear and reliable guide," she said.

Resident Sarah Strom also addressed the council during Open Forum, urging officials to place a cap on the number of cannabis retail licenses. Strom described family members harmed by substance use and said she fears the clientele drawn to multiple cannabis shops would damage the town's character and community safety. "We need to be concerned for what is the destruction of our families and children over money," she said.

Mayor Marcus Polz and the council did not take formal action on either set of public comments during the meeting. Under the council's Open Forum rules, the body may give direction to staff after the meeting to investigate concerns raised; the minutes record neither an explicit staff direction nor a vote connected to the public comments.

The council adjourned at 6:19 p.m.