Here is precisely why Culver City voters elected Thomas Small to the City Council a year and a half ago:

His thoughtfulness and tendency to reflect at appropriate length.

That is a remarkable endorsement for a freshman politician – especially when he is posted in the center ring between two opposing factions.

That is the situation going into this evening’s 7 o’clock City Council meeting in Council Chambers.

The Council is confronted by a 100-day deadline to set marijuana ordinances before Jan. 1 or (likely more liberal) cannabis laws will govern Culver City.

At issue is whether the Council should approve legal dispensaries (retail outlets).

Mayor Jeff Cooper and Meghan Sahli-Wells, Council delegates to the Marijuana Task Force, favor 4 to 6 outlets.

Council members Goren Eriksson and Jim Clarke, the two oldest in point of age, oppose retail seats.

Vice Mayor Small has been holding his fire, and that could change this evening.

Leading Up to a Vote

“We are in good shape” regarding finalization of laws, he says. “It is clearly a controversial and difficult subject. We are under extreme time pressure. But the process is going well.

“A huge chunk of decisions has been made. The one part outstanding is what they are calling the retail aspect, what we used to call dispensaries.”

How does Mr. Small feel about them since his opinion is not yet on the record.

“I held up the vote at the last meeting because we had not completed our research as to, if we adopt certain rules, where will (retail stores) be allowed.

“The staff has been working on completing the detail of those maps.

“If we do agree to a 100-foot buffer from any residential area,” Mr. Small wants to know, “then what sites would be possible?

“We understand it is going to be a very small area – if any area at all is going to be available.”

In keeping with the theme of this story, “I have given this thought,” said the vice mayor.

Time for an attitudinal change, he suggests.

“In the modern world, we need to normalize (the sale of marijuana) and not demonize it.”

What does Mr. Small mean by “normalize”?

“I mean not demonizing it, not making it something that is going to ruin society,” he said.

“I think we make too much of a big deal out of it. If we make it more of a normal thing that has been around forever, and is going to be around forever, that is a healthier understanding and approach to it.”

Placement of retail marijuana stores “still is very much subject to neighborhood concerns,” Mr. Small said.

“What I want to do, as we continue our discussion, is make sure we listen to the neighborhood.

“Whatever blanket decisions we make throughout the city, we must make certain we are doing thorough public outreach, that we are determining what the neighborhood wants.”

Then, Mr. Small concluded, “we will be in good shape.”