A recent Recorder front-page photo of empty chairs at a selectman’s meeting, where an important issue was being discussed, implied Deerfield residents didn’t care. From the buzz around town, it tells me just the opposite. Problem with the meeting was the date. It was scheduled for 4 p.m on Good Friday.
I contacted several town officials and was told the day and time was difficult to arrange because of several conflicts and deadline problem. I can understand the dilemma.
At the meeting, two of three selectmen decided a vote on recreational marijuana would not be allowed at the April 30 Town Meeting.
Two flimsy reasons have been given. First is that few people attend the town meetings and the vote would not give a clear picture of the residents wishes. This situation could easily have been corrected if the date and issues to be discussed were properly publicized ahead of time.
Who can forget the large turnouts for the Redskin and school building debates?
The other excuse was that a majority of Deerfield voters voted to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts during the 2016 presidential election some 17 months ago. The vote to legalize marijuana does not automatically mean towns can sell it. Town voters have the right to vote to see if they want to offer it for sale.
Marijuana sold for medical purposes is fine with me, but recreational marijuana could be used as a pathway to other more serious problems. Many have given up smoking because of potential health problems, but there is still alcohol abuse and the opioid crisis. Drugs are presently carted up and down I-91. Do we really need another problem and a pot shop in town?
Deerfield is a lovely community located in a beautiful setting. It is a family friendly community with excellent public schools, and the private schools bring in students from all over the world. We also have visitors from all over the world visiting Historic Deerfield. We have few crimes and our taxes are lower than most neighboring towns.
Do we really need a pot shop in town that could give us future problems? If someone is anxious to buy it – buy it in another town.
On April 20, this newspaper reported about a pitch to have an Arizona Marijuana Co., a very large company, to settle here to sell medical marijuana. The company would employ 50 to 100 people. Sounds large to me! As part of a campaign to garner support from the community, a seminar on medical marijuana was held at the Polish Club. The company plans to open a retail medical marijuana shop off of Greenfield Road.
Medical marijuana should be sold at pharmacies and other medical facilities and not that close to the center of South Deerfield.
A Mr. Trout, medical director of the company, said “I love your little town.” I say I love the town also and say “Go away and leave this peaceful town alone!”
Georgie Swinerton
South Deerfield