TOWN OF AMSTERDAM — The majority of registered voters in the town support allowing recreational marijuana dispensaries to open locally, but oppose on-site consumption establishments, according to the results of an informal survey sent out by mail last month. Town officials indicated they plan to follow the will of residents.
Town Supervisor Thomas DiMezza presented the results of the informal survey to the Town Board on Wednesday. The two-question poll was mailed to registered voters within the town in August asking residents to weigh in on whether the municipality should opt-in or out of the state’s marijuana legalization by allowing dispensaries and on-site consumption lounges.
The survey was sent to almost 4,000 residents and the town received 2,087 responses mailed back in the provided prepaid envelopes. Responses were to be returned within seven days of receipt.
The tallied survey results found 1,241 residents favor allowing dispensaries while 841 residents oppose allowing pot shops to open within the town. By contrast, 962 support allowing marijauna lounges within the town while 1,150 oppose allowing on-site consumption businesses.
DiMezza recommended the board introduce a local law next month to “do what the people asked” by opting out of allowing on-site marijuana consumption sites alone with a corresponding resolution to schedule a public hearing during the regular meeting in November.
There was no opposition to the plan from the members of the Town Board. Although Councilwoman Mary Maines, who has previously opposed opting out of the state legislation, was absent from the meeting.
Deputy Supervisor David Thibodeau commented only on the healthy number of responses the town received with more than half of registered voters returning their surveys.
The Town Board was originally set to consider a local law to fully opt-out of all marijuana sales in April before large numbers of residents began speaking out on both sides of the issue. The legislation was pulled without being acted on as the town began considering putting the issue to a referendum for voters to decide.
The state law legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana signed earlier this year allows municipalities until Dec. 31 to opt-out of allowing retail cannabis sales and on-site consumption businesses within their boundaries by adopting a local law. The state must still put regulations in place before retail sites can be established.
After learning a public vote on the issue was not permitted under state law, the town instead devised a plan to send out the informal survey to residents to decide by majority vote whether the town should take action to opt-out of retail sales.
By sending the survey only to registered voters, officials reasoned the results would allow the same individuals who could have voted in a referendum to share their opinions.
There are approximately 3,915 registered voters in the town as of the most recent enrollment data from the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Approximately 5,997 residents live in the town, according to 2019 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
DiMezza said the informal survey worked well to gather the opinions of voters on the previously debated matter.
“That’s what we’re here for, to listen to the people. If people want something we’ll try to get it done. I represent the people,” DiMezza said.
DiMezza previously came out as an opponent to the legalization of recreational marijuana use and sales, raising concerns over pot users potentially driving while under the influence, and questioning the impact marijuana facilities operating in town would have on the character of the rural community.
On Wednesday he indicated his willingness to follow the will of residents, while noting the recently created state Office of Cannabis Management and regulatory requirements for recreational marijuana sales will likely limit the number of dispensaries that ultimately open across the state and locally.
“I have no problem with opting in for dispensaries and opting out of on-site consumption,” DiMezza said. “Everybody thinks they’re going to be able to set up a dispensary wherever they would like, but I think they’re going to be pretty regulated. I don’t know that the town would even get one, because I don’t see them having dispensaries in every community.”
DiMezza, who is a former police officer, indicated that the opposition of town residents to consumption sites and the related legislation anticipated from the town could help mitigate safety concerns related to impaired individuals.
“The dispensaries are people coming to buy it and leaving, so I don’t think they’re really going to have any trouble at any of the dispensaries,” DiMezza said. “I think it’s something we can probably live with.”
Finally settling on a direction to resolve the matter after months of discussion though the informal poll cost the town roughly $4,000 in postage with payroll for town staff who helped organize, mail out and tally the surveys bringing the total estimated cost to under $6,000.
“I think it was worth it to do it. I think it was a good survey and people responded very well,” DiMezza said.
Reach Ashley Onyon at aonyon@dailygazette.net or @AshleyOnyon on Twitter.
"consumption" - Google News
September 23, 2021 at 12:14PM
https://ift.tt/3AvMDh7
Most town residents OK with pot dispensaries, not consumption sites - The Recorder
"consumption" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2WkKCBC
https://ift.tt/2YCP29R
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Most town residents OK with pot dispensaries, not consumption sites - The Recorder"
Post a Comment