LovelandPolitics
| Loveland's Independent News Source |
Loveland, December 31, 2016
A third candidate has announced his intentions of running to serve the remaining seven months
of former Councilman Hugh McKean's four-year term representing Loveland's Ward III. The
young candidate has posted a Facebook page to promote his first run for public office.
https://www.facebook.com/JohnRKeil/
John Ryan Keil, a self-described "hemp farmer" informed LovelandPolitics he will be competing
for the open Loveland City Council seat. The election will be conducted by mail-in ballots for
voters residing in Loveland's Ward III. While voters will be given approximately 1 month to return
their ballots, the final day ballots will be due is April 11 since that is the official 'election day.'
According to Larimer County property records, the 26 year-old John Keil along with his wife
Jessica purchased their home in Loveland in June of 2015 for $255,000. John and his wife have
two children, Braylee who is 6 years old and Torin who will be 3 years old next month.
According to voter records, Keil was registered to vote as "UAF" (unaffiliated) until last October
when he changed his registration to the Libertarian Party. Today he is listed on the Larimer
County Libertarian website as an officer in their party. Keil explained, "I also am the contact for
the libertarian party here in Larimer county [sic] I just took over this post in December."
Keil Business Background
John Keil told LovelandPolitics he doesn't want marijuana legalization to be an issue of his
campaign. Instead, he emphasizes limited government and laissez-faire policies that would
decrease city involvement in downtown development and other activities normally the domain of
the private sector.
While Keil insists on being called a "hemp farmer" he does acknowledge ownership in two
cannabis related businesses; one involving hemp and another distributing marijuana seeds. The
latter company, 303Seeds, supplies individual and commercial marijuana growers with seeds to
start various types of marijuana grows. According to 303Seeds.com 's website, they can supply
seeds to grow "Danky Kong" and "Jabberwocky" strains of marijuana among many others. The
company also states in its introduction,
"Most importantly, we strive to educate the masses about the wondrous and seemingly
limitless medical attributes of the cannabis plant."
Keil explained he partnered with Cadisa, a wholesale marijuana grow business in Boulder County
on Arapahoe Road, under the auspices of Colorado's "Care Giver" law. Today he said his
company rents a room within the same space which is populated with numerous marijuana
related retail businesses as the building is located just outside of Boulder city limits. According to
State of Colorado records, Keil currently holds a "key" retail marijuana license #M09093.
Keil's Loveland Ties
Keil's Grandmother, Barbara Knappe, is a longtime Loveland resident he describes as a former
owner of several local businesses and well known member of the community. Keil explained he
spent time working in construction related trades with his father on the various Safeway and
Albertson department stores in Loveland over the years. Keil said he enjoys meeting new people
and intends to visit as many of the voters in Ward III as he can before the election. He has met
with Colorado State House Representative Hugh McKean whose former seat on council Keil
hopes to fill in April.
Loveland Position on Retail Marijuana Could Be Challenged
In 2010, 61% of Loveland voters passed a ban on any retail sales of medical marijuana within city
limits. Two years later, when state voters passed Amendment 64 legalizing recreational
marijuana use, Loveland's City Council "opted-out" of participating by continuing an outright ban
in the sales of marijuana within city limits. At the time, Loveland's Mayor Cecil Gutierrez
explained the 2010 vote was clear saying "people have spoken" therefore arguing another ballot
measure was unnecessary. Soon after Loveland's City Council voted to "opt-out" of the
provision of Amendment 64 that contemplates cities issuing business licenses to marijuana retail
establishments.
Ironically, Loveland's Ward III was the only Ward in the 2010 general election where Amendment
64 (legalization of marijuana) failed to gain a majority of support within the City of Loveland.
Marijuana Debate Could Cloud Ward III Election
Marijuana continues to be classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a "Schedule
1" drug under the Controlled Substances Act which makes is illegal to produce, distribute or use
in all fifty states. States that have passed laws allowing the production, distribution and use of
marijuana have done so in defiance of federal laws.
According to a report released by the DEA in 2016, "There is no evidence that there is a
consensus among qualified experts that marijuana is safe and effective for use in treating
a specific, recognized disorder."
Keil's Motives For Running For Public Office
According to an email Keil sent LovelandPolitics, the following is an explanation of his desire to
seek public office,
"I own a CBD hemp farm we call Healing Farm LLC, I am co owner with my father and one
of my good friends. We started it in 2014 and have had great success since then. I want to
get into politics because I have a passion for economics and individual rights. I am very
interested in this City council position because it is such a short term and offers a great
learning opportunity. The chance to run 2 campaigns in 1 year is also a great chance to
learn the nuances of campaigns."
A third candidate has announced his intentions of running to serve the remaining seven months
of former Councilman Hugh McKean's four-year term representing Loveland's Ward III. The
young candidate has posted a Facebook page to promote his first run for public office.
https://www.facebook.com/JohnRKeil/
John Ryan Keil, a self-described "hemp farmer" informed LovelandPolitics he will be competing
for the open Loveland City Council seat. The election will be conducted by mail-in ballots for
voters residing in Loveland's Ward III. While voters will be given approximately 1 month to return
their ballots, the final day ballots will be due is April 11 since that is the official 'election day.'
According to Larimer County property records, the 26 year-old John Keil along with his wife
Jessica purchased their home in Loveland in June of 2015 for $255,000. John and his wife have
two children, Braylee who is 6 years old and Torin who will be 3 years old next month.
According to voter records, Keil was registered to vote as "UAF" (unaffiliated) until last October
when he changed his registration to the Libertarian Party. Today he is listed on the Larimer
County Libertarian website as an officer in their party. Keil explained, "I also am the contact for
the libertarian party here in Larimer county [sic] I just took over this post in December."
Keil Business Background
John Keil told LovelandPolitics he doesn't want marijuana legalization to be an issue of his
campaign. Instead, he emphasizes limited government and laissez-faire policies that would
decrease city involvement in downtown development and other activities normally the domain of
the private sector.
While Keil insists on being called a "hemp farmer" he does acknowledge ownership in two
cannabis related businesses; one involving hemp and another distributing marijuana seeds. The
latter company, 303Seeds, supplies individual and commercial marijuana growers with seeds to
start various types of marijuana grows. According to 303Seeds.com 's website, they can supply
seeds to grow "Danky Kong" and "Jabberwocky" strains of marijuana among many others. The
company also states in its introduction,
"Most importantly, we strive to educate the masses about the wondrous and seemingly
limitless medical attributes of the cannabis plant."
Keil explained he partnered with Cadisa, a wholesale marijuana grow business in Boulder County
on Arapahoe Road, under the auspices of Colorado's "Care Giver" law. Today he said his
company rents a room within the same space which is populated with numerous marijuana
related retail businesses as the building is located just outside of Boulder city limits. According to
State of Colorado records, Keil currently holds a "key" retail marijuana license #M09093.
Keil's Loveland Ties
Keil's Grandmother, Barbara Knappe, is a longtime Loveland resident he describes as a former
owner of several local businesses and well known member of the community. Keil explained he
spent time working in construction related trades with his father on the various Safeway and
Albertson department stores in Loveland over the years. Keil said he enjoys meeting new people
and intends to visit as many of the voters in Ward III as he can before the election. He has met
with Colorado State House Representative Hugh McKean whose former seat on council Keil
hopes to fill in April.
Loveland Position on Retail Marijuana Could Be Challenged
In 2010, 61% of Loveland voters passed a ban on any retail sales of medical marijuana within city
limits. Two years later, when state voters passed Amendment 64 legalizing recreational
marijuana use, Loveland's City Council "opted-out" of participating by continuing an outright ban
in the sales of marijuana within city limits. At the time, Loveland's Mayor Cecil Gutierrez
explained the 2010 vote was clear saying "people have spoken" therefore arguing another ballot
measure was unnecessary. Soon after Loveland's City Council voted to "opt-out" of the
provision of Amendment 64 that contemplates cities issuing business licenses to marijuana retail
establishments.
Ironically, Loveland's Ward III was the only Ward in the 2010 general election where Amendment
64 (legalization of marijuana) failed to gain a majority of support within the City of Loveland.
Marijuana Debate Could Cloud Ward III Election
Marijuana continues to be classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a "Schedule
1" drug under the Controlled Substances Act which makes is illegal to produce, distribute or use
in all fifty states. States that have passed laws allowing the production, distribution and use of
marijuana have done so in defiance of federal laws.
According to a report released by the DEA in 2016, "There is no evidence that there is a
consensus among qualified experts that marijuana is safe and effective for use in treating
a specific, recognized disorder."
Keil's Motives For Running For Public Office
According to an email Keil sent LovelandPolitics, the following is an explanation of his desire to
seek public office,
"I own a CBD hemp farm we call Healing Farm LLC, I am co owner with my father and one
of my good friends. We started it in 2014 and have had great success since then. I want to
get into politics because I have a passion for economics and individual rights. I am very
interested in this City council position because it is such a short term and offers a great
learning opportunity. The chance to run 2 campaigns in 1 year is also a great chance to
learn the nuances of campaigns."
| Hemp Grower Hopes to Replace McKean on Loveland City Council |
| City of Loveland Municipal Elections For 2017 April 11 - Ward III, (balance of McKean's term until Nov) November 7, 2017 Office up for election: Incumbent Mayor: Cecil Gutierrez Ward I: Councilman Troy Krenning Ward II: Councilwoman Joan Schaffer Ward III: (Successful candidate from April) Ward IV: Dave Clark The City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month for regular meetings at 6:00 p.m. and the second Tuesday of each month for a study session at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 500 E. Third Street. Candidates must meet the following qualifications: 1) A registered Elector in the State of Colorado, City of Loveland and Ward III 2) Must have lived in Ward III for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the election;(If your residence has been annexed into Ward III within the last 12 months, please contact the City Clerk to see if you still meet the qualification, 970-962-2717) 3) Not have been convicted of: embezzlement of public funds; bribery, perjury, solicitation of bribery, subordination of perjury, or a willful violation of the City Charter. (a back ground check will be conducted). 4) Council members shall continue to meet the requirements throughout their term. |
| Gun control activist Howard Dotson looking to run for Loveland City Council |
