To the editor:
You have been mixing up terms and Watson’s potential ordinance.
First, the term dispensary is not used any more in Michigan. The term is now Provisioning Center (which is one of the five licensed facility types in Michigan). Second, Watson officials have explicitly stated they are not interested in permitting provisioning centers are part of the potential ordinance; as most municipalities have done the same. Watson was looking at a draft ordinance for a growing facility and potentially processing.
1) Many have done an extraordinary amount of due diligence in providing answers to questions, documentation, research, community correspondence, etc.; we only ask for the reciprocal level of diligence in return. We don’t believe that our township elected officials have the option to dismiss an important matter because they have grown weary of the topic or its controversial nature. Each matter should be give the board’s full and impartial, unbiased and unemotional due diligence.
2) The board and planning commission are close to a draft, we just need to refocus and complete the draft ordinance as expected. In other words, commit pen to paper of what we know, present the draft for public comment then execute a board vote to adopt or not. When this is accomplished, many questions will be addressed and answered for the residents of Watson. Instead of the current circular state of answering the same questions individually at each meeting.
3) The biggest problem we see is that each month a few well-meaning residents (usually the same people) inject their comments of support or opposition to the board (some of which are not based on fact, but are merely opinions or wrong altogether). The board sometimes accepts these opinions from a few as the “voice of Watson” or the consensus in whole or in part.
This is unfortunate since the majority of Watson voted in 2008 in support. About 55% (or more as of late) of the populace that elected this board support the medical marihuana program instead of the current, mostly unregulated environment that exists. This current state provides no revenue or township oversight.
We would like the board to regroup, refocus and we charge Mr. (Supervisor Kevin) Travis to redirect the board in completing the draft ordinance (as voted on unanimously in August 2017) and give ALL of Watson an opportunity to comment on a well written and comprehensive draft ordinance.
John Caras, Symponia Farms, Watson Township
Agree. Old biases and misinformation seem to be driving the very vocal minority. I have spoken to many, who are not the outspoken type but who are in favor and like that the board would be progressive instead of reactive. I would like to see this pushed through to the conclusion. Unbiased education is the due coarse to guide a thought out decision and implementation. I support what you are trying to do Mr. Caras.