All In The Family: Bringing Cannabis Business To Port Townsend

Port Townsend father-son duo, Martin Gay and Dakota Sandoval, eagerly anticipate the fate of their marijuana business as Washington State Liquor Board starts issuing licenses next month.

Gay and Sandoval’s business, Jefferson County Cannabis Company, was among more than 7,000 applications that were submitted in December to legally grow pot in the state.

“I’m very confident in what’s going to happen down the road. We have a good business plan. We have good people involved,” Gay said.

One of those people is Gay’s wife Michelle Sandoval, who currently serves on the Port Townsend City Council and is the former mayor of Port Townsend.

In August 2013, the City Council passed a six-month moratorium to buy more time to determine how to best plan for new pot businesses. In January, the council approved an ordinance to allow cannabis production and processing activities in the city’s commercial and light manufacturing zones.

Although Michelle Sandoval recused herself from the vote, she said she is a big supporter of marijuana legalization and thinks the town will see an economic impact. “I’m all about shopping local,” she said.

While Dakota Sandoval and his dad wait to get the green light from the state, Dakota Sandoval said he is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Gay.

“He’s been my mentor,” he said. “He’s a very caring guy. He loves his kids very much, which I feel really lucky and almost spoiled by the connection we have.”

Produced for the Web by Akiko Oda.

This story originally aired on February 25, 2014.