LEAFY LOOK-ALIKE STIRS POT OF TROUBLE FOR CITY MANAGERS.

Byline: Bill Bishop The Register-Guard

Botanical similarities between the leaves of marijuana and ornamental maple trees have ignited controversy over a photo used on the cover of Eugene's annual Employee Benefits Handbook.

The similarities struck a few employees as beneficial to neither employees nor their handbook.

"We're a little embarrassed," said Myrnie Daut, risk services division manager. "We certainly didn't want to offend anyone."

Nevertheless, the image irked a few police employees, who complained.

On Friday, they got an e-mail from Police Capt. Steve Swenson, trying to extinguish the controversy and clear the air.

"To some, the lace leaf maple pictured as part of a series of photos resembles a marijuana leaf," he wrote, adding that the city has an

abundance of various maples, including the type on the handbook's cover.

"I have a very nice one in my front yard," he continued. "There are no hidden meanings, subliminal or intentional, supporting medical marijuana or advocating marijuana use as some are speculating."

Faced with criticism from some city workers, city officials immediately removed the image from the city's Web page and replaced it with a photo of a lighthouse. After a brief discussion, city officials decided not to replace the covers on the 650 booklets already distributed to employees. However, new employees will get a booklet with the revised cover, featuring the lighthouse, Daut said.

She said the leaf image is plainly a tree in its full-color version, but the distinctions were blurred when the image was printed in black-and-white for the booklet.

"Hopefully this addresses the issue and puts it to rest," Swenson said in his e-mail to police employees. "On a positive note, it is a good sign the pamphlets are being viewed."