Posted on October 26, 2022 View all news
Dec 21, 2017
The medical-marihuana issue narrowly escaped being tabled for a year with a 3-2 vote during the Montcalm Township regular Board meeting Wednesday (13th) evening.
oard member, Tim Rau, asked that “medical marihuana” be added to the agenda at the opening of the meeting. A vote to add the subject was all “yes,” so Rau read a resolution (R-2017-7) to “opt out” of the State Law provision to allow dispensaries to operate in the township.
The Resolution reads:
WHEREAS the State of Michigan enacted the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, Mich. Comp. Laws 333.27101, est. seq. (2016), to license and regulate certain commercial entities identified in the Act as growers, processors, provisioning centers, secure transporters and safety compliance facilities: and
WHEREAS the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act provides that a marihuana facility shall not operate in a municipality unless the municipality has adopted an ordinance that authorizes the type of facility: and
WHEREAS, being duly informed and advised, the Montcalm Township board has decided it shall NOT adopt an ordinance to authorize the location of any medical marihuana facilities within Montcalm Township as provided by the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Montcalm Township board hereby makes a record of its decision to NOT adopt an ordinance to authorize within Montcalm Township the location of any medical marihuana facilities as identified in the Medical Marihuana Licensing Act, Mich. Comp. Laws 333 27101, est. seq. (2016)
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, until authorized by an ordinance promulgated by Montcalm Township to authorize the operation of Medical Marihuana Facilities pursuant to the Medical Marihuana Facilities Act, no consideration or action by any Montcalm Township official or representative shall be taken on any applications or submissions relating in any way to the growth, distribution, provisioning transporting, or testing of medical marihuana. [End of Resolution]
A couple that recently moved from Colorado attended the meeting to report on their procedures regarding their septic systems, however when they realized the marihuana issue would be a part of the meeting, they stayed and commented on their experiences. “Making marihuana legal doubled the homeless population there,” she said. “The issue was good for the government and growers but not beneficial to the community. They [government] never learned how to contend with the side effects.” She went on to comment that although she held a Masters Degree in Social Work, she saw no advantage other than their property sold for more than the asking price because it was in an ideal location for marihuana growers.
At the conclusion of discussion about the Resolution, Rau motioned that it be approved with Steve Sprague supporting. They voted “yes”. Amy Richards, the Clerk, voted “no” along with Supervisor Mike Adams. He added that he wanted no part in the vote because it was added to the agenda. That left the deciding vote to Rose Hyde the Treasurer. She paused then indicated that she was in favor of the resolution, but that it should be voted on in a meeting where the issue was not pre-announced. Her vote, with that caveat was also “no,” delaying the Resolution for a vote during the January agenda.
The Lakeview Area News was the only media covering the meeting.
This week’s article was intended to be about the effects of marihuana and alcohol consumed at the same time, yet this local action has delayed that article until the next edition. Still, with State Rules established as of December 15th, a rush of license applications is expected at the Department of Licenses and Regulatory Affairs in Lansing (LARA), accompanied by a flood of cash.
Joe Tilton
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