It’s a new year, and with it, Mendocino County has yet another new (interim) cannabis manager, the third in as many years: Megan Dukett, who previously worked as the program administrator for the consolidated county parks, library, and museum department, and will now supervise the county’s cannabis permitting process, including overseeing the approval of applications already in process, assisting with researching potential changes to the county’s current regulations, and assisting both potential applicants and current permit holders with the local compliance process.
Commenting on her new position, Ms. Dukett stated, “I am excited to join the Cannabis Program and contribute toward our department’s shared goals of structuring a more streamlined process for cultivation permit applicants to obtain and renew their permits. I look forward to working collaboratively with our staff in strengthening the Cannabis Program with professionalism and attention to customer service.”
Dukett’s appointment to an interim position — made without an open hiring process — follows the departure of the county’s second full-time cannabis cultivation manager, and first internal hire, Sean Connell, who resigned in October, 2019 after working for less than ten months, and the abrupt departure of the first person to helm the program, Kelly Overton, who stayed less than four months before quietly taking off to the desert in June, 2018.
Dukett will be working within the Planning and Building department, whereas Overton worked in the ag department, a change that occurred during Connell’s tenure, who was working in that department, before becoming cannabis manager.
Mendocino County hires cannabis program manager for the third time in three years