During their April 12 meeting, the Bethel City Council will once again take up a proposed land transfer agreement with the Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC). The council will also consider several proposals that target alcohol and marijuana in Bethel.
The City of Bethel owns the land that’s under ONC’s multipurpose building, and several members of city council have expressed interest in gifting that land to ONC. The proposal to transfer that land has gone through the planning commission and is now coming back to the council for consideration. The parcel of about two acres was valued at $3.8 million in 2020 and, under this proposal, would be legally gifted to ONC free of charge.
Also during the meeting, the council will consider three pieces of legislation about marijuana and alcohol. All three were proposed by Councilmember Mary "Beth" Hessler. The first is a proposed city law that would ban pot shops and any other marijuana establishments. This would force two of Bethel’s businesses to close, and prevent a third, proposed retail marijuana store from opening.
The other two items are proposed protests against a would-be pizza restaurant with a beer and wine license and a would-be retail marijuana store. The pizza restaurant is called UnCommon Pizza and the marijuana store is called Good Vibes. Before either can open with a license, the state’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office must review their applications. The city manager has reviewed their business plans and has no objections to either shop being granted a license. But the city council has the power to protest these licenses anyway, which the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office would then take into serious consideration. These proposed resolutions would serve as an official protest from the Bethel City Council. The day of the meeting, April 12, is the deadline for city council to submit a protest to the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office.
The council meeting will be held in person at the Bethel City Hall at 6:30 p.m., and broadcast over KYUK.
