Dear Supervisors,
What does it matter once we are approved through the Leep process what the money is used for in our cannabis business? it's not your business it's OUR business. We have jumped every hoop, Live scanned, permitted, signed affidavits. application upon application. uploaded, downloaded, built, expedited, tagged, complianced our time, money and lives to growing cannabis in Mendocino County only to be treated like none of you know us nor care about our success. Offer outs and solutions, work for your constituent's issue funds using the simple LEEP eligibility requirements originally represented. I bet you could save the county money and get back to the portal submissions and issuing permits!
I support the MCA letter regarding the dispersal of Equity Funds. Once again, the Board and the County offer help for the beleaguered small craft equity farmer with one hand and then turn around and slap us in the face with restrictions, secret changes, impossible deadlines and general dishonesty. When will you finally understand that Mendocino has a world renowned connoisseur cannabis industry, long the economic backbone of the county, which the county and the state have systematically destroyed through exorbitant taxes, punitive regulations and duplicitous behavior, thereby stimulating the revival of the illicit market.
Please expedite the grant funding! I am an equity grant recipient and I have been waiting since I was approved in November for my grant funds! I have to get to work on my LSA because there are looming deadlines. The entirety of the 50k grant funds I qualify for is for my LSA. The 7 department approval process must be streamlined and expedited to truly benefit the farmers it is intended for.
Also, the process with the fee waiver grant must be streamlined with PBS. I have been in a deadlock over documents I’ve already submitted in quadruplicate because there hasn’t been a plan implemented to get the grant funds to PBS to issue permits.
Lastly, Not enough people who would definitely qualify are applying because the application process is so difficult, redundant, and tedious. The folks at elevate are doing their very best! More help is needed for applicants to get through the process. Farmers are not applying because no one has actually received their grants and they don’t trust the county to actually issue the funds. We’ve all been enmeshed in tedious and redundant paperwork with the county for 6 years just trying to get our cannabis permits. There is no trust from the farmers for the county to do anything to actually help us. Trust MUST be rebuilt for the entire cannabis program to truly succeed. This is an excellent place to start. Help us get our grant funds more quickly so we can put them to work on our farms. Help us do we can bring jobs to Mendocino County and boost the local economy!!
Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
501 Low Gap Road
Ukiah, CA 9548
Re: Public Expression: Equity Program Concerns
________________________________________________________
Honorable Supervisors,
During last week’s MCD weekly Friday meeting, Director Nevedal informed attendees that the revisions to the Equity Program directed by this Board and the Ad Hoc to enhance allowable uses, including taxes levied on received grant funds, for all Program participants, would not be made available to current applicants until September 1st of 2022, at which point they will have to submit NEW applications to take advantage of these uses with a NEW allocation of funds. The MCD also plans to increase the total allowable grant amount per existing applicant to $80K up from $50K, and to stop accepting applications from folks who have not already applied.
The equity grant process is very lengthy as we have all learned, and the direction of the Board and Ad Hoc was to enable the broadest possible amount of uses for Program participants to alleviate challenges that have arisen thus far in the process. Delaying access to these revisions, is in direct opposition to the will of this Board.
It was made clear in a meeting between the Ad Hoc, County Counsel, MCD, Hannah Nelson and Michael Katz of MCA that amending existing contracts is in fact a normal process for County government and not an impossibility. To do so would only require substitution of an attachment: the approved budget. The review for Elevate & MCD of the newly allowed additional or substituted items would be required whether conducted as an amendment or later as a new application. The contract amendment would still go through Cobblestone, which can take weeks and weeks, so the idea that MCD would not START reviewing new applications for existing folks until September actually means it would likely not be until the end of the year, or perhaps the beginning of NEXT year, before applicants receive the new grant. This unnecessary 6 month delay undermines the goal of getting the kind of funding that grantees actually need to them in time to effectively help keep them in the permitting program.
It is confusing why the MCD would opt to delay access to these revisions, and instead choose to create an additional level of complication by implementing a completely new application process in September, especially when doing so also will decrease the number of operators who can have access to the Equity funding and still require the County’s cumbersome Cobblestone process. We believe that this choice is not in the best interest of those in the Equity Program. It would go a long way to help applicants now by letting them take advantage of the newly expanded allowances, such as taxes incurred by receiving the grants and ongoing expenses like rent, packaging, marketing, and a wide variety of additional items approved by the state. MCD has indicated they will be providing a new LEEP Manual to the Board for the April 5th meeting which will include all new allowances.
We strongly advocate that the Board direct MCD and LEEP staff to initiate these approved changes at this time and to order a simple modification of the existing grantees and applicants’ budgets to include the newly allowable items so the initial applicants have the same opportunities as those that applied later in the process. Based on our conversation referenced above, this should not be a complicated or onerous process.
Director Nevedal indicated a concern about how taxes could be integrated into the Budget process when it’s impossible to know EXACTLY what the taxes will be. We believe the requirement for this EXACT amount is unwarranted, and in fact harmful to operators, and suggest that up to 28% of Grant monies may be allocated towards taxes, and that if they are not all needed those funds can then be shifted into another approved use category. The idea here is to HELP those who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs make the best use of these funds for them, NOT to create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Furthermore, we appreciate the idea of the additional funding of $30K for applicants, but have serious concerns that this funding is being used to try and solve the problem of providing access to the new revisions for existing applicants in place of having to revise existing contracts, and that it will limit more people from accessing these desperately needed funds. There are an estimated 200 equity applicants at this time, and with a maximum Direct Grant amount of $50K if we don’t already have enough for all of them, why would we INCREASE the grant amounts? Especially when we have funds coming from the LJAGP for both equity and non-equity operators.
We believe that a broader stakeholder conversation should happen around this question to determine the most equitable approach. And, if in fact that conversation leads to the determination that the increase in Direct Grants is the best path forward, it should be offered to applicants now, not in September, and through contract revisions, NOT through a new application process from which they must all start from scratch.
We thank you for your consideration on these matters and are available to discuss further at your convenience.
Dear Supervisors,
What does it matter once we are approved through the Leep process what the money is used for in our cannabis business? it's not your business it's OUR business. We have jumped every hoop, Live scanned, permitted, signed affidavits. application upon application. uploaded, downloaded, built, expedited, tagged, complianced our time, money and lives to growing cannabis in Mendocino County only to be treated like none of you know us nor care about our success. Offer outs and solutions, work for your constituent's issue funds using the simple LEEP eligibility requirements originally represented. I bet you could save the county money and get back to the portal submissions and issuing permits!
I support the MCA letter regarding the dispersal of Equity Funds. Once again, the Board and the County offer help for the beleaguered small craft equity farmer with one hand and then turn around and slap us in the face with restrictions, secret changes, impossible deadlines and general dishonesty. When will you finally understand that Mendocino has a world renowned connoisseur cannabis industry, long the economic backbone of the county, which the county and the state have systematically destroyed through exorbitant taxes, punitive regulations and duplicitous behavior, thereby stimulating the revival of the illicit market.
Please expedite the grant funding! I am an equity grant recipient and I have been waiting since I was approved in November for my grant funds! I have to get to work on my LSA because there are looming deadlines. The entirety of the 50k grant funds I qualify for is for my LSA. The 7 department approval process must be streamlined and expedited to truly benefit the farmers it is intended for.
Also, the process with the fee waiver grant must be streamlined with PBS. I have been in a deadlock over documents I’ve already submitted in quadruplicate because there hasn’t been a plan implemented to get the grant funds to PBS to issue permits.
Lastly, Not enough people who would definitely qualify are applying because the application process is so difficult, redundant, and tedious. The folks at elevate are doing their very best! More help is needed for applicants to get through the process. Farmers are not applying because no one has actually received their grants and they don’t trust the county to actually issue the funds. We’ve all been enmeshed in tedious and redundant paperwork with the county for 6 years just trying to get our cannabis permits. There is no trust from the farmers for the county to do anything to actually help us. Trust MUST be rebuilt for the entire cannabis program to truly succeed. This is an excellent place to start. Help us get our grant funds more quickly so we can put them to work on our farms. Help us do we can bring jobs to Mendocino County and boost the local economy!!
Thank you,
Christina Colangelo
Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
501 Low Gap Road
Ukiah, CA 9548
Re: Public Expression: Equity Program Concerns
________________________________________________________
Honorable Supervisors,
During last week’s MCD weekly Friday meeting, Director Nevedal informed attendees that the revisions to the Equity Program directed by this Board and the Ad Hoc to enhance allowable uses, including taxes levied on received grant funds, for all Program participants, would not be made available to current applicants until September 1st of 2022, at which point they will have to submit NEW applications to take advantage of these uses with a NEW allocation of funds. The MCD also plans to increase the total allowable grant amount per existing applicant to $80K up from $50K, and to stop accepting applications from folks who have not already applied.
The equity grant process is very lengthy as we have all learned, and the direction of the Board and Ad Hoc was to enable the broadest possible amount of uses for Program participants to alleviate challenges that have arisen thus far in the process. Delaying access to these revisions, is in direct opposition to the will of this Board.
It was made clear in a meeting between the Ad Hoc, County Counsel, MCD, Hannah Nelson and Michael Katz of MCA that amending existing contracts is in fact a normal process for County government and not an impossibility. To do so would only require substitution of an attachment: the approved budget. The review for Elevate & MCD of the newly allowed additional or substituted items would be required whether conducted as an amendment or later as a new application. The contract amendment would still go through Cobblestone, which can take weeks and weeks, so the idea that MCD would not START reviewing new applications for existing folks until September actually means it would likely not be until the end of the year, or perhaps the beginning of NEXT year, before applicants receive the new grant. This unnecessary 6 month delay undermines the goal of getting the kind of funding that grantees actually need to them in time to effectively help keep them in the permitting program.
It is confusing why the MCD would opt to delay access to these revisions, and instead choose to create an additional level of complication by implementing a completely new application process in September, especially when doing so also will decrease the number of operators who can have access to the Equity funding and still require the County’s cumbersome Cobblestone process. We believe that this choice is not in the best interest of those in the Equity Program. It would go a long way to help applicants now by letting them take advantage of the newly expanded allowances, such as taxes incurred by receiving the grants and ongoing expenses like rent, packaging, marketing, and a wide variety of additional items approved by the state. MCD has indicated they will be providing a new LEEP Manual to the Board for the April 5th meeting which will include all new allowances.
We strongly advocate that the Board direct MCD and LEEP staff to initiate these approved changes at this time and to order a simple modification of the existing grantees and applicants’ budgets to include the newly allowable items so the initial applicants have the same opportunities as those that applied later in the process. Based on our conversation referenced above, this should not be a complicated or onerous process.
Director Nevedal indicated a concern about how taxes could be integrated into the Budget process when it’s impossible to know EXACTLY what the taxes will be. We believe the requirement for this EXACT amount is unwarranted, and in fact harmful to operators, and suggest that up to 28% of Grant monies may be allocated towards taxes, and that if they are not all needed those funds can then be shifted into another approved use category. The idea here is to HELP those who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs make the best use of these funds for them, NOT to create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Furthermore, we appreciate the idea of the additional funding of $30K for applicants, but have serious concerns that this funding is being used to try and solve the problem of providing access to the new revisions for existing applicants in place of having to revise existing contracts, and that it will limit more people from accessing these desperately needed funds. There are an estimated 200 equity applicants at this time, and with a maximum Direct Grant amount of $50K if we don’t already have enough for all of them, why would we INCREASE the grant amounts? Especially when we have funds coming from the LJAGP for both equity and non-equity operators.
We believe that a broader stakeholder conversation should happen around this question to determine the most equitable approach. And, if in fact that conversation leads to the determination that the increase in Direct Grants is the best path forward, it should be offered to applicants now, not in September, and through contract revisions, NOT through a new application process from which they must all start from scratch.
We thank you for your consideration on these matters and are available to discuss further at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Mendocino Cannabis Alliance
e: info@mendocannabis.com