READING, Pa. – Following a spirited discussion during its Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night, Reading City Council said it will vote on a proposed ordinance next week to decriminalize the possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Managing Director Jack Gombach said, if approved, Mayor Eddie Moran plans to sign the bill.

However, it is unclear if there will be at least four votes needed for council to adopt the ordinance.

Councilmember Jaime Baez Jr. introduced the ordinance but said he met with the administration and the police before moving forward with it.

Baez said he has also reached out to Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who Baez said refused to engage in the conversation.

“The speed bump or the challenge that I would say that we would be facing would be with the district attorney, and it’s unfortunate,” Baez said. “I think it’s important that the district attorney has decided to weaponize confusion rather than foster collaboration.”

“If our district attorney refuses to even sit at the table to discuss legislation that would impact thousands of residents, then I don’t feel that is acting as a public servant,” Baez said. “It’s acting as a gatekeeper of the status quo.”

“I feel that his refusal to discuss policy with council creates more confusion than any ordinance ever could,” Baez added.

When reached out to for comment on Tuesday, DA Adams said he spoke about the topic with council President Donna Reed on numerous occasions, and added, “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

When asked if he would send someone from his office to a council meeting to discuss this further, Adams said: “If invited we will happily attend. I have had numerous conversations with the City Council President about this issue.”

During Monday’s meeting, Gombach said that while the administration supports the proposed legislation, he added that he believes the ordinance could work in unison with the existing diversion program.

“It should be about adding tools to our toolbox, which we feel this can do,” Gombach said.

The diversion program allows individuals facing certain summary offenses to potentially avoid a criminal conviction by successfully completing the program.

Baez said he wanted to point out that the diversion program is not equal rights for all.

“If you’re poor, you can’t pay for it; if you don’t speak English well, or if you don’t have transportation, that educational opportunity becomes punishment,” Baez said.

Councilmember Chris Miller said he had concerns that council was only hearing from one side of the argument.

“I really feel that there are people that we represent that may not necessarily agree with this,” Miller said. “In order to make an educated decision, I would really like to postpone this, to hear from everybody involved; all opinions to be able to make a decision.”

Councilmember Melissa Ventura said she wants to be clear that the proposed ordinance isn’t about promoting marijuana use.

“I really want to be clear on that because it’s about making sure people, especially young people, aren’t burdened with a criminal record for having a small amount (of marijuana) and having them jump through hoops in order to remove it from their record,” Ventura said.

Baez added that if council doesn’t care about the people it represents, then it has a problem.

Baez also said the existing divergence program is “the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, and the ordinance is the guardrail at the top.”

Councilmember Vanessa Campos said the ordinance is not meant to be detrimental but productive towards the community.

Baez challenged Reed on why she was not supporting the proposed ordinance, but in fact, presented the same type of ordinance in 2017.

That ordinance was approved by four members of council but then vetoed by the mayor at that time.

“Yes, I did introduce an ordinance in 2017,” Reed said. “I feel strongly that it should be decriminalized, however, I’m not comfortable with the mechanics of this.”

Gombach said he will extend an invitation to the district attorney to attend the voting meeting next Monday night.

Last week, council adopted a resolution calling on the state legislature to decriminalize and legalize adult-use marijuana.