The Plassmann Chronicles: Stirring the Pot
Ward 3 Councilor Angela Plassmann. (David Reid photos)
The Ward 3 councilor tells health officials she will submit a stiff new marijuana-smoking ordinance
NORTHAMPTON – Ward 3 City Councilor Angela Plassmann appears to be back on the marijuana war path.
According to minutes from the Nov. 15 meeting of the council’s Committee on Social Services and Veterans Affairs, Plassmann said she remains focused on regulating pot consumption in the city. Her comments came during a discussion about public health operations in the city.
The invited guests that day were city Health Director Benjamin Wood and Donna Salloom, who chairs the Board of Health.
Wood presented the councilors with a report on the Health Department’s operations, and he and Salloom updated the board on ongoing programs and initiatives; the two also answered questions.
Injecting the Pot Issue
During a discussion of tobacco regulation enforcement, Plassmann offered the following comment, according to the meeting minutes, submitted by Executive Secretary Mary Midura:
“Councilor Plassmann stated that she has a strong stand on marijuana fines, and she intends to bring proposed Ordinances to the City Council floor soon. Councilor Plassmann stated that marijuana and drug use is a huge problem in the Northampton schools.”
Besides Plassmann, the committee members were Councilors Eugene Tacy and Chairwoman Marianne LaBarge.
In the past, Plassmann has said the state-imposed fine of $100 for possession of marijuana under an ounce is too low to discourage young people from smoking pot.
After reading the committee minutes in the City Council packet last week, Northampton Media called Plassmann for a comment. She did not reply.
We also asked around to see if Plassmann had submitted a draft pot ordinance. Council President David Narkewicz said he has seen nothing. Chief Sienkiewicz said he has heard nothing from the Ward 3 councilor in recent months. And Midura said nothing like that has yet been submitted for council consideration.
Viral Video and a $300 Fine
Northampton Media watchers will recall the first time Plassmann raised the subject of marijuana fines in the Committee on Social Services and Veterans Affairs.
A videotape of that February 2010 meeting, shot by Plassmann backer Adam Cohen, contained a discussion about marijuana fines up to $300, drug-sniffing dogs, escort ads, and other matters. A short clip from that video, posted by Northampton Media, went viral and caused a stir. Critics protested that the three had overstepped their bounds, one dubbing the group the “Committee on Public Morals.” (see video)
But several of Plassmann’s supporters, such as former city councilor Michael Bardsley and local bus driver Phil Brocklesby (a staple at council meetings) rose to defend the three committee members.
And last summer, Northampton Media filed an Open Meeting complaint after Plassmann and Tacy met behind closed doors with Police Chief Russell Sienkiewicz to discuss a proposed pot ordinance. The Northwestern District Attorney’s office dismissed our complaint, and Plassmann hasn’t spoken with us since. (See Northampton Media’s follow-up story by clicking here.)
At the time Plassmann met with Sienkiewicz, she was talking about $300 fines for pot smokers on public property. Nothing came of that meeting, however.
Prior to our complaint, City Council President David Narkewicz had ordered Tacy and Plassmann to stop talking about drug enforcement at their committee meetings, since it was not within the group’s purview. Apparently, Plassmann felt comfortable raising it at the November meeting.
Councilor Plassmann during a November council meeting. (from a rebroadcast on Northampton Community TV)
If freshman councilor Plassmann – who ran in 2009 on a platform that emphasized stricter drug enforcement – has a new ordinance ready to unveil, she better be prepared to withstand a strong public reaction. After all, even her own ward voted overwhelmingly in favor of the successful 2008 ballot initiative that decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.
So far, however, Plassmann is running a stealth operation with her marijuana ordinance. We’ll just have to hold our breath on this one.
© 2011 Northampton Media
David Reid can be reached at dreid@northamptonmedia.com
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There is pot everywhere. I actually voted against the new law, but I also recognize that the majority spoke – end of story. Parenting is difficult in those teenage years, but open communication worked in my family and we got through those years relatively drug free.
I have wondered if her actions and words represent her constituents on other issues and at some meetings in the past she has looked totally bewildered on items presented that she had foreknowledge of. I feel that time is better spent on the big problems in the city – not trying to change a law that overwhelmingly passed by her constituents and those of the entire state. And besides, pot is really not the drug issue here and elsewhere – crack, cocaine and heroin are.
Ms Plassmann should concentrate on working for her ward instead of getting on a moral platform with Adam Cohen. Not sure if she gets out much, but may I suggest she take her car and try driving down North Street. If she gets to the end without major damage to her vehicle then she’s driving a tank. Absolutely the worst road in Northampton.
So, while you’re on a crusade to stamp out drugs in Noho, please take a few moments to advocate for those of us who have to travel along North Street and get the damn road fixed once and for all.
Ms Plassmann won’t get my vote next time. I voted for someone to advocate for my ward, not a moralist.
“The Plassman Chronicles” … “a stealth operation”
This isn’t reporting, it’s innuendo- again.
“Two city councilors discuss pot ordinance with police chief; NM files Open Meeting Law complaint with DA” June 26th, 2010 | Posted in Featured, Headlines, News | Read More »
Fines, rather than misdemeanors or felonies are part of the decriminalization of marijuana, not in opposition to it. And every parent of school age children would like to prevent their children from being pressured into it using by peers until they are old enough to decide for themselves.
Plassman has a point and the care and courage to address it and make her case. I hope this community appreciates that. If you oppose her solution say why and offer something you think is better. You leave the impression that your agenda might be to personally gather everyone else who might be selfishly opposed to comment with even more innuendo and that you want to run her out of office for it.
I am sorry Ms Plassman’s children have had or continue to have problems with drugs, if that is indeed the case. I encourage her to examine her own, reckless statements about her family’s experiences. She has alienated her own children by reading from their diaries in public. I believe it’s entirely wrong to turn what you should see as your own, personal failures as a parent into public policy issues, through which one works out such Freudian struggles.
http://angelaplassmann.com/2010/10/16/combating-drug-abuse-in-our-schools.aspx
As a co-parent of kids in the Northampton School system, I have an entirely different impression of the situation. On the other hand, I am only going on the good grades our kids get, the healthy, wholesome friendships they have, with normal ups and downs, and the sensible and hardworking teachers they study with. Should I be cracking their diaries and eavesdropping on their conversations? Ms Plassman should stick to the issue of snow removal. Stiff fines for marijuana use wouldn’t even effect any change on high-schooler’s behavior anyway, isn’t that obvious?
As a resident of Ward 3, I can promise, I will help vote Ms Plassman out of office this November.
I am sorry Ms Plassman’s children have had or continue to have problems with drugs, if that is indeed the case. Maybe they feel she has problems with other behaviors and/or substances. I encourage her to examine her own, reckless statements about her family’s experiences. She has alienated her own children by reading from their diaries in public. I believe it’s entirely wrong to turn what you should see as your own, personal failures as a parent into public policy issues, through which one works out such Freudian struggles.
http://angelaplassmann.com/2010/10/16/combating-drug-abuse-in-our-schools.aspx
As a co-parent of kids in the Northampton School system, I have an entirely different impression of the situation. On the other hand, I am only going on the good grades our kids get, the healthy, wholesome friendships they have, with normal ups and downs, and the sensible and hardworking teachers they study with. Should I be cracking their diaries and eavesdropping on their conversations? Ms Plassman should stick to the issue of snow removal. Stiff fines for marijuana use wouldn’t even effect any change on high-schooler’s behavior anyway, isn’t that obvious?
As a resident of Ward 3, I can promise, I will help vote Ms Plassman out of office this November.
addendum: I have just telephoned Ms. Athas, the principal of NHS, to get her view if NHS has a “huge marijuana problem.” I feel so angry that the adolescents of our city and the educators who ably serve them, are being grossly maligned for some wacky political purpose. It’s beyond grandstanding- it’s irresponsible and hurtful.
I am horrified to read this. I don’t know WHAT Ms. Plassmann is talking about regarding a “huge” marijuana problem at NHS. During her campaign, she shared that her own child used marijuana while at NHS which became a terrible issue in their family, and for which I have compassion. However, I have children currently at NHS with whom I am very close, and I do not personally observe, or hear from them or their many friends that marijuana is any kind of epidemic there. I think this is an example of someone taking a personal tragedy and then foisting bad law on the rest of us. Moreover, tripling a fine that the great majority of voters thought was adequate is completely undemocratic. Ms. Plassmann is appallingly out of touch with her constituents; she is not even near the value base of the center of the ward. She seems more closely in step with Gene Tacy, to the horror and astonishment of her constituents.
November 15th? Did the minutes just come out?