STURBRIDGE — Towns across Massachusetts need to be proactive in getting ahead of the curve when it comes to recreational marijuna. That was the message at a recent quarterly meeting of the Small Town Administrators of Massachusetts (STAM) that Athol Town Manager Shaun Suhoski brought back to town.
“The deadline by which the state will begin licensing recreational marijuana dispensaries is fast approaching,” said Suhoski, a member of STAM’s programming committee. “As evidenced by the strong turnout for this topic, cities and towns are struggling to learn about the new industry and educate their citizenry, even as the Cannabis Control Commission is still developing their regulations for the March 15 deadline.”
Suhoski and other town administrators heard from panelists at the meeting that current law calls for the newly-appointed state Cannabis Control Commission to adopt and announce initial regulations by March 15, 2018. The state may license recreational marijuana dispensing sites as early as April 2018.
The panelists were Auburn Town Manager Julie Jacobson, who is also the only local government member of the 25-seat Cannabis Advisory Committee; attorney George Hall, of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association; Jeffrey Bagg, from the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission; David Lakeman, a legislative analyst with the Massachusetts Municipal Association; Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon; and David O’Brien, of Weedmaps, an online community for marijuana enthusiasts to discuss and learn about their favorite brands and strains, who provided an industry perspective.
STAM, which hosted the meeting, is a professional association of nearly 80 municipal administrators from communities of 12,000 or fewer residents.
Athol officials are interested in developing appropriate local regulations to be voted on at a special town meeting expected early next year. There will be a public hearing at Athol Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday to generate input from the community on how the town should proceed.
Selectboard member Stephen Raymond volunteered last week to participate in the recreational marijuana working group Suhoski established to facilitate the process of establishing local regulatory controls for the drug. The working group will also consist of key town staff members and members of the Planning, Health and Finance boards.
The Selectboard last month voted 4-1 in favor of the letter of non-opposition for Herbology, Inc., a medical marijuana nonprofit that wants to move into the old Union Twist Drill Co. building at 134 Chestnut Hill Ave. Herbology is a nonprofit organization and medical marijuana applicant with a provisional certificate. Sea Hunter Therapeutics is a for-profit company that provides capital and intellectual property to Herbology, the license holder.
Vincent J. “Bill” Purple is the president and owner of the L.P. Athol Corp., which bought the Union Twist Drill Co. building in 1986.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 258.
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli