Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Framingham is closer to having a medical marijuana dispensary with today's deadline for applicants to seek letters of support from the town.
Under a new process Town Manager Bob Halpin drew up and the Board of Selectmen approved, applicants have until noon today to submit their proposals for a dispensary to the town. While the state is granting licenses, applicants need a letter of either support or non-opposition from the host community.
Halpin, the police chief, building commissioner and Planning Board director are set to evaluate and rank proposals, then issue recommendations to selectmen.
Among them is Beacon Compassion Center's bid to open a dispensary at 303 Worcester Road, at the intersection of Rte. 9 West and Rte. 126.
"We're very happy, obviously, to be part of this process and to share with the Town of Framingham all about Beacon Compassion Center," Executive Director Steve Angelo said Wednesday after submitting his proposal to the town.
While competing for the town's support and a license from the state, Angelo said he feels good about what Beacon Compassion Center brings to the table.
"Between the team, the location, our security plan and our community plan, we feel a combination of all of that...makes us an attractive candidate for the Town of Framingham," he said.
The town will rank proposals based on criteria such as location, security plans and the amount of money the applicants are offering to pay the town.
Selectmen have said they ultimately want to issue one, or possibly more, letters of support or non-opposition to help a dispensary open locally.
Assistant Town Manager Jennifer Thompson said the town will first check to see whether an applicant meets some minimum criteria: Background checks, an experienced board of directors and management team, enough money for application fees and at least $500,000 for capital investments, and a security plan and state-of-the-art security system.
Those that pass that test will then be ranked based on other factors, such as a location that provides good regional access and the generosity of their community benefit proposal.
The town's timetable calls for the evaluation team to report back to selectmen with recommendations on Sept. 1.
Halpin said earlier this summer the town had received interest from 11 applicants who want to open dispensaries here.
Some of the applicants, their attorneys and consultants have sat in on recent selectmen's meetings as the board discussed how to narrow down the pool.
Angelo said he hopes to open dispensaries in both Framingham and Foxborough, with a grow facility in Bellingham.
"They're both extremely high priority due to the long time that patients have been waiting for access to their medicine," he said.
State voters approved a ballot question legalizing medical marijuana in 2012. The state, so far, has only permitted one dispensary to open, in Salem.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Deadline for medical marijuana dispensary applicants is today - News - The Framingham Tab - Framingham, MA
Author: Danielle Ameden
Contact: dameden@wickedlocal.com
Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Website: Home - The Framingham Tab - Framingham, MA
Under a new process Town Manager Bob Halpin drew up and the Board of Selectmen approved, applicants have until noon today to submit their proposals for a dispensary to the town. While the state is granting licenses, applicants need a letter of either support or non-opposition from the host community.
Halpin, the police chief, building commissioner and Planning Board director are set to evaluate and rank proposals, then issue recommendations to selectmen.
Among them is Beacon Compassion Center's bid to open a dispensary at 303 Worcester Road, at the intersection of Rte. 9 West and Rte. 126.
"We're very happy, obviously, to be part of this process and to share with the Town of Framingham all about Beacon Compassion Center," Executive Director Steve Angelo said Wednesday after submitting his proposal to the town.
While competing for the town's support and a license from the state, Angelo said he feels good about what Beacon Compassion Center brings to the table.
"Between the team, the location, our security plan and our community plan, we feel a combination of all of that...makes us an attractive candidate for the Town of Framingham," he said.
The town will rank proposals based on criteria such as location, security plans and the amount of money the applicants are offering to pay the town.
Selectmen have said they ultimately want to issue one, or possibly more, letters of support or non-opposition to help a dispensary open locally.
Assistant Town Manager Jennifer Thompson said the town will first check to see whether an applicant meets some minimum criteria: Background checks, an experienced board of directors and management team, enough money for application fees and at least $500,000 for capital investments, and a security plan and state-of-the-art security system.
Those that pass that test will then be ranked based on other factors, such as a location that provides good regional access and the generosity of their community benefit proposal.
The town's timetable calls for the evaluation team to report back to selectmen with recommendations on Sept. 1.
Halpin said earlier this summer the town had received interest from 11 applicants who want to open dispensaries here.
Some of the applicants, their attorneys and consultants have sat in on recent selectmen's meetings as the board discussed how to narrow down the pool.
Angelo said he hopes to open dispensaries in both Framingham and Foxborough, with a grow facility in Bellingham.
"They're both extremely high priority due to the long time that patients have been waiting for access to their medicine," he said.
State voters approved a ballot question legalizing medical marijuana in 2012. The state, so far, has only permitted one dispensary to open, in Salem.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Deadline for medical marijuana dispensary applicants is today - News - The Framingham Tab - Framingham, MA
Author: Danielle Ameden
Contact: dameden@wickedlocal.com
Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Website: Home - The Framingham Tab - Framingham, MA
