Cove voters to have a chance to opt out of Measure 109

Aug. 10—COVE — The Cove City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning psilocybin service facilities and psilocybin manufacturing within city limits during a special session on Aug. 9 and passed a resolution referring approval of the ban to voters on the upcoming November ballot.

Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 109 in November 2020. At the time, 67% of Cove voters opposed the measure with 132 voters in favor of Measure 109 and 277 against the measure.

"I'm all for referring it to the voters and I believe they will ban it," said Matt McCowan, council president.

Similar sentiments were shared by all members of the council. In the language of the ordinances, the city council addressed worries that the Oregon Health Authority had not yet finalized how facilities would be licensed and operated, which led the council to consider the ban.

Although no residents attended the special session, Mayor Sherry Haeger said that she spoke with several people throughout the week who expressed concerns about psilocybin and supported the ban.

"We're giving the people of the city a chance to have their voices heard," she said.

Cove residents will have another opportunity to ban psilocybin during the November election.

Cove joins the La Grande City Council and Union County Board of Commissioners in asking their voters to consider banning the psychedelic drug from being sold in the county's unincorporated areas before a state-managed system takes effect in January.

The La Grande City Council declared an emergency on Aug. 3 in order to refer an ordinance banning psilocybin service centers within La Grande city limits to voters, while the Union County Board of Commissioners voted on Aug. 3 to refer a proposed ordinance to ban prohibit the sale and manufacturing of psilocybin products in unincorporated portions of the county.

Isabella Crowley is a reporter for The Observer. Contact her at 541-624-6014 or icrowley@lagrandeobserver.com.