North Attleboro – Reversing an earlier decision to table a letter of support for a prospective medical marijuana growing facility until a public hearing could be held, selectmen voted Thursday night in favor of the letter amid concerns the landscape might shift after the Nov. 8 general election.
Among those concerns is if Question 4 is approved on the statewide ballot, and recreational marijuana is legalized, would that change the way medical marijuana applications are handled by the state.
Ultimately the vote was 3-2, with Chairman Patrick Reynolds and Selectman John Rhyno voting against a letter of support.
Selectmen wrestled with the decision.
At an Oct. 6 meeting, Selectman Michael Lennox moved to table the letter of support for medical marijuana enterprise Hope Heal Health after some residents petitioned the board for a public hearing.
With questions himself and concerns how the Nov. 8 vote on recreational marijuana would play out, Lennox said a public hearing would allow all sides to be more informed before making a decision.
But on Thursday he reversed course, saying that after talking with state officials and other counsel, he believed an immediate vote was necessary.
“I’m increasingly more concerned that lack of action before Nov. 8 could be harmful to this deal,” Lennox said. “The problem I see now after a lot of research is I’m concerned that the state will pave the way for what they want to do if (recreational marijuana) passes. I want to be able to point to our host community agreement and say we already have this in place.”
Lennox and other selectmen said after talking with the state, there was no clear answer as to whether applications for medical marijuana facilities would still be processed if recreational marijuana is legalized.
“They can say, ‘Until we get the recreational side of it figured out, we’re going to put a hold on the medical side of it,’” Selectman Paul Belham said. “They can freeze everything that’s going on. So they may not accept any more (letters). But if (a letter of support) is in place, we at least have a shot.”
At risk is a potentially lucrative agreement with Hope Heal Health.
If the medical marijuana grower is licensed by the state and locates in North Attleboro, the town would reap not only property taxes on the facility, but 3 percent of its profits. Estimates are that could be up to $270,000 the first year, $420,000 the second, $600,000 the third and $1.2 million per year afterward.
Other selectmen were hesitant to rush to a vote, however.
Rhyno said the board “promised” a public hearing to residents at the last meeting, adding he was uncomfortable moving forward without public input.
Selectmen agreed a joint public hearing by selectmen and the board of health will be held to hear community concerns before Hope Heal Health would be considered for a license, but Rhyno said that wasn’t good enough.
“We are going to have a hearing after we vote? That seems disingenuous,” Rhyno said.
Reynolds was also against the vote. Although selectmen tabled the letter of support Oct. 6, they passed a host community agreement which outlined provisions and protections for the town if Hope Heal Health is granted a license.
Because the agreement is already signed by both parties, Reynolds said he wasn’t sure how much more a letter of support would help.
With no clear answers from the state on how they would handle both recreational and medical marijuana, the state could still decide not to recognize the agreement, he said.
Reynolds said he did not see the need to rush to a vote before a hearing can be held.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: North Attleboro Selectmen Approve Letter Of Support For Medical Marijuana Grower
Author: Kayla Canne
Contact: 508-222-7000
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Sun Chronicle