City sets public forum on buying, selling pot for Dec. 17

The Wayland City Council Monday night agreed to have a public forum at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, on the question of permitting the buying and selling of recreational marijuana.

The city has not yet made a decision about allowing marijuana sales locally, a year after voters statewide approved a ballot proposal legalizing the substance. Each municipality can make a decision about whether to allow marijuana to be bought and sold within its boundaries. Thus far, no city or township in northeast Allegan County has voted to allow it, but Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo are welcoming businesses and transactions may start as early as Dec. 1.

City Manager Josh Eggleston earlier this year said there is no need to conduct a survey of local voters because 58 percent of them approved the ballot proposal in the November 2018 general election, 2% better than the tally statewide.

The meeting will be held in council chambers in the back of City Hall.

In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:

• Agreed to let deputy City Clerk Kristin Engel serve as interim city clerk after current Clerk Michelle Herman bids adios Dec. 13. Engel will be permitted to apply for the post if she wishes.

Eggleston said it may be surprising, but there is not a surplus of people qualified to handle the job.

“Other municipalities have had a limited applicant pool,” he said.

• Agreed to let Eggleston have a dialogue with the Wayland Chamber of Commerce about the city’s longtime agreement. He noted that some services formerly handled by the chamber have been taken up by the Downtown Development Authority and the Main Street program.
• Received an unmodified opinion on the city’s finances by auditor Dan Veldhuizen of the accounting firm of Siegfried Crandall. Veldhuizen also lauded the council for adopting rate increases for water because the fund balance has been shrinking.
• Heard a presentation from student representative Nathan Ward, who noted his Eagle Scout project of installing a lending library at the Rabbit River Trail park has been completed.
• Approved road closures for the downtown during Main Street’s Art Hop celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.
• Said good-bye to outgoing City Councilwoman Lisa Banas after she served for three two-year terms, but but decided against seeking re-election.

Banas said she’s lived in Wayland for a long time, but has learned a great deal more because of her service on the council.

• Adopted a resolution permitting the local police department to apply for a state Par Plan grant for up to $1,200 to buy a new taser.

COVER PHOTO: Council members (from left) Gary Smith, Jennifer Antel and Rick Mathis are sworn in by Clerk Michelle Herman. Mathis and Antel were re-elected earlier this month and Smith is a newcomer, succeeding Lisa Banas.