An ordinance allowing marijuana shops was the talk a local village meeting on Wednesday.
Friends of Stevensville, a group formed in opposition to the Village of Stevensville passing an ordinance allowing two marijuana businesses in the village, showed up in full force at Wednesday night’s regular Village Council meeting to voice their opinions and request the ordinance be repealed.
The Village of Stevensville voted 4-1 to approve ordinances allowing up to two recreational cannabis dispensaries at its regular meeting Wednesday, Nov. 9. At a special public hearing Nov. 7, many community members spoke out against the proposal, and several of those members now form the Friends of Stevensville group.
“The crowd that came to give public opinion [Dec. 7] spoke overwhelmingly against the ordinance,” said Mary Jo Tomasini, chairperson of the committee, during Wednesday’s public comment. “Yet, just two days later, you approved it. … Let’s not let the residents and businesses of Stevensville regret that they ever allowed the first marijuana business to open in our village.”
Tomasini, who owns local business Competitive Edge, was the first of many residents and business owners to speak against the ordinance. The only person to speak in favor was Mark Weedon, Mayor Pro Tem for the city of Buchanan.
“This room is exactly what we saw in Buchanan, and I can understand why,” Weedon said. “I wouldn’t stand here today if I knew that the values and sentiments you hold tonight were not the same ones that we held. … We can talk for hours about the success of what cannabis has done for our town.”
The stated goal of Friends of Stevensville is to “allow the citizens of Stevensville an option for recourse by allowing a vote on the issue.” During the meeting, Trustee Carl Steinberger proposed a motion to repeal the ordinance and put the issue to a vote, but it was determined that such an issue cannot be proposed and voted on without first being listed on the meeting agenda.
Friends of Stevensville filed petitions to repeal the ordinance the Lincoln Township Clerk on Dec. 7. The petitions request that a ballot proposal be placed before voters to determine if marijuana establishments should be allowed within the village limits.
According to Stevensville Village President David Wenger, the village has received a petition, but could not offer further comment.
“We just received the petition [Tuesday],” said Wenger, following the meeting. “We haven’t even spoken to our attorneys … everything’s up in the air at this point.”
Also Wednesday, a resolution to determine a retail application period for potential marijuana businesses failed to pass. Steinberger, who voted against the resolution, said with all of the public backlash, he feels it would be smart to put the issue to a ballot proposal.
If a marijuana ordinance proposal is the only item on the May ballot, village manager Kacey Dominguez said it will cost the village $5,000 to hold the election.
The reason the village passed the initial ordinance was to generate revenue for its deteriorating roads, according to Wenger.
