Marijuana Survey Questioned In Darien

DARIEN, IL — Some residents are holding out hope the Darien City Council will changes its mind on its September decision to allow recreational marijuana sales in town. They are disputing a survey that indicated most residents support such businesses.

At Monday's City Council meeting, resident Luanne Spiros, a Darien Park District commissioner, suggested aldermen put the marijuana sales question to voters in a referendum. She said the council listened respectfully to arguments against marijuana at last month's meeting. Now that the council has learned more, she said, it can opt out of the state's law permitting marijuana businesses.

Spiros said everyone at last month's meeting learned about the dangers of marijuana, particularly from a certified drug counselor. "Will a cannabis dispensary make Darien a nicer place to live?" she asked.

Another resident, Gerry Leganski, told the council he formed a Neighborhood Watch chapter more than a dozen years ago after his house was "brutally" vandalized. He said he keeps the group, which now has more than 100 members, aware of issues in town. But he said he and many members were unaware of the survey.

According to the results of that survey, 56 percent of 533 respondents said Darien should allow recreational marijuana. Leganski said Alderman Tom Chlystek, who voted for marijuana sales, is a member of the Neighborhood Watch group. But he said he was disappointed the alderman failed to seek input from members and let everyone know about the survey.

Leganski said he conducted his own unscientific survey of the chapter's members. Of the 46 households that responded, only seven had known about the survey. Of those seven, six took part, with five in favor of marijuana sales and one against.

Of the entire group of 46, Leganski said, 35 opposed marijuana, while 10 were in favor. One household was split, where a husband and wife could not agree, he said.

"I know my survey is not scientific," Leganski said. "People were not aware of the city survey. You are basing your results on a minority of people who knew about it."

The City Council did not respond to the public input. Later in the meeting, when aldermen were asked to report their correspondence, Chlystek said he had received six messages in opposition to marijuana sales.

In September, the council voted 4-3 for such sales. Chlystek was joined by Tom Belczak, Lester Vaughan and Eric Gustafson in support. Ted Schauer, Joseph Kenny and Mary Sullivan were against.

Last month, a 5-2 majority specifically prohibited such sales at Brookhaven Plaza. Voting to ban it were Sullivan, Schauer, Vaughan, Kenny and Chlystek. The dissenters were Gustafson and Belczak.