Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Time continues to burn while Kalkaska leaders and hopeful business owners prepare for medical marijuana changes that take effect next month.
Village Manager Scott Yost hopes to rule on four applications for village medical marijuana licenses – including two marijuana growing facilities, a testing center and a secure transport business – next week, but is waiting for completed applications.
Cash Cook, the village's downtown development authority director, and Denny Corrado, the zoning and licensing officer, continue working with some applicants to piece together their materials. Cook said some are incomplete and have missing information, but added they should be completed soon.
"Hopefully next week we're going to be able to have double-checked, complete applications filed," he said.
Some of the missing details concern electrical equipment, floor plans and other items and the application for a secure transport license isn't yet complete, Cook said.
No decisions have been made, but Yost expects to approve the applications "immediately" if they meet requirements established in village ordinances that regulate medical marijuana facilities. Village officials opted into the state Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act – which enables municipalities to decide whether to authorize such facilities – by approving those ordinance changes.
Receiving village approval to operate is just one of a series of tasks hopeful medical marijuana business owners must complete.
Tom Beller continues constructing two buildings in an industrial park along Enterprise Drive he hopes will house his proposed medical marijuana growing facility. Construction could be completed by spring. Meanwhile, he continues waiting for village authorization, while looking to state officials to release complete requirements for facilities operating under the new law.
He hopes to hire seven to 15 employees to work the facility, if allowed to open. Beller can't make any hires until employment rules are set concerning whether workers need to be registered caregivers, how employee background checks should be completed and other requirements.
"We hope to have the best plan we can put together," he said. "We're hoping to be ahead of the game, if we can, otherwise, we wait for the state."
Village and state officials giving the green light to Beller and the owners of other proposed medical marijuana facilities to open would provide elevated consistency and safety for patients looking to obtain marijuana, he said.
"The whole point is to keep the medicine off the street and to ensure a safe and consistent product," Beller said.
Yost said he plans to review each of the applications to assure they would adhere to village ordinances and review further information compiled by Cook and Corrado. He already approved five conditional permits for proposed medical marijuana dispensaries.
Officials spent weeks receiving and reviewing applications, narrowing lists of applicants down until they could identify finalists.
"I think it's going to be a good thing," said village President Jeff Sieting. "We took a lot of time dotting the i's and crossing the T's."
Village officials would continue watching those facilities, if approved, after opening to assure they remain compliant.
Those licenses could quickly be terminated should those facilities later violate ordinance rules, Yost said.
"We want to be welcoming to the community, but at the same time, safe guard the community for our residents," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana proposals move toward approval | Local News | record-eagle.com
Author: MARK JOHNSON
Contact: Contact Us | Site | record-eagle.com
Photo Credit: Robert Gauthier
Website: record-eagle.com
Village Manager Scott Yost hopes to rule on four applications for village medical marijuana licenses – including two marijuana growing facilities, a testing center and a secure transport business – next week, but is waiting for completed applications.
Cash Cook, the village's downtown development authority director, and Denny Corrado, the zoning and licensing officer, continue working with some applicants to piece together their materials. Cook said some are incomplete and have missing information, but added they should be completed soon.
"Hopefully next week we're going to be able to have double-checked, complete applications filed," he said.
Some of the missing details concern electrical equipment, floor plans and other items and the application for a secure transport license isn't yet complete, Cook said.
No decisions have been made, but Yost expects to approve the applications "immediately" if they meet requirements established in village ordinances that regulate medical marijuana facilities. Village officials opted into the state Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act – which enables municipalities to decide whether to authorize such facilities – by approving those ordinance changes.
Receiving village approval to operate is just one of a series of tasks hopeful medical marijuana business owners must complete.
Tom Beller continues constructing two buildings in an industrial park along Enterprise Drive he hopes will house his proposed medical marijuana growing facility. Construction could be completed by spring. Meanwhile, he continues waiting for village authorization, while looking to state officials to release complete requirements for facilities operating under the new law.
He hopes to hire seven to 15 employees to work the facility, if allowed to open. Beller can't make any hires until employment rules are set concerning whether workers need to be registered caregivers, how employee background checks should be completed and other requirements.
"We hope to have the best plan we can put together," he said. "We're hoping to be ahead of the game, if we can, otherwise, we wait for the state."
Village and state officials giving the green light to Beller and the owners of other proposed medical marijuana facilities to open would provide elevated consistency and safety for patients looking to obtain marijuana, he said.
"The whole point is to keep the medicine off the street and to ensure a safe and consistent product," Beller said.
Yost said he plans to review each of the applications to assure they would adhere to village ordinances and review further information compiled by Cook and Corrado. He already approved five conditional permits for proposed medical marijuana dispensaries.
Officials spent weeks receiving and reviewing applications, narrowing lists of applicants down until they could identify finalists.
"I think it's going to be a good thing," said village President Jeff Sieting. "We took a lot of time dotting the i's and crossing the T's."
Village officials would continue watching those facilities, if approved, after opening to assure they remain compliant.
Those licenses could quickly be terminated should those facilities later violate ordinance rules, Yost said.
"We want to be welcoming to the community, but at the same time, safe guard the community for our residents," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana proposals move toward approval | Local News | record-eagle.com
Author: MARK JOHNSON
Contact: Contact Us | Site | record-eagle.com
Photo Credit: Robert Gauthier
Website: record-eagle.com