A number of people have complained that the Clearlake City Council is not doing its job because it is working on an ordinance to ban marijuana. I and many others disagree.
 
First, the city of Clearlake Mission Statement says: “The mission of the City of Clearlake is to enhance the quality of life for all of its residents and visitors through adherence to its core values.”

Included in the city's core values is its commitment to meet the needs of the community. Through its police department, it works to ensure the public safety of its citizens.
 
Nowhere does it say that the “needs” of special interest groups have priority over other residents – no matter how silent the residents are or how loud the special interests are.

The city council is responsible to ALL residents, not to just a few. And council members are responsible now and to the future (another core value).
 
Second, the Third Appellate Court in Sacramento stated in November 2013 that “there is no right – and certainly no constitutional right – to cultivate medical marijuana.”

This decision was repeated by other appellate courts across the state and was confirmed quite clearly by the California Supreme Court.
 
The Clearlake City Council is very much doing its job, and its members are to be commended for it.
 
Tom Guthrie lives in Lakeport, Calif.