Northeast Allegan County’s first and only attempt to craft an ordinance on medical marijuana officially has been terminated by the Watson Township Board.
The board Thursday evening voted unanimously, 5-0, to retract the direction it made to the Planning Commission last fall to work on an ordinance to permit and regulate the growing, processing and transportation of medical marijuana. Such a move is permissible because of a law passed by Gov. Rick Snyder and the State Legislature to allow local municipalities to regulate such activities.
The board did some informal surveys and had a couple of public hearings on the matter. An undisputed majority expressed opposition to drafting or proposing any such ordinance, particularly in a jam-packed hearing on the first Thursday of this year.
Trustee Michelle Harris, who moved to halt the process, told her colleagues, “We asked the Planning Commission to work on this, but since then we had this huge public meeting. I didn’t get the feeling that a majority of the people were for it… I’m not comfortable with moving forward. We should let the whole thing go.”
Treasurer Sue Jones, who originally expressed support for working on such an ordinance, said that when people have come into her office to pay taxes, “Not one person has told me they’re for it. We’ve got to go with what the people want.”
Trustee Chuck Andrysiak said he has been cooling to the idea, particularly because there will be a state-wide ballot proposal on legalizing recreational marijuana in the November general election. He added that the Planning Commission regardless would not have begun work on this ordinance until April.
The Township Board last fall heard presentations from township resident John Caras and his partner, Scott Hershberger, both of whom are medical marijuana providers for veterans. The board then agreed to ask the Planning Commission to come up with an ordinance regulating growth, processing and transporation of medical marijuana.
It appeared the tide was turning after the January hearing and Supervisor Kevin Travis hinted to Caris at the February meeting that prospects for an ordinance were dimming.
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the board:
• Selected the artwork of Andrew Bilecke of Otsego as the winner of a Watson Township logo contest. The contest was held at the behest of Travis, who said he wanted a logo “to help give Watson a better sense of place.”
The logo will be used on township letterheads, on the web site, newsletter and on a flag.
Bilecke won $335 for taking first and runner-up Caylie Riess of Allegan will receive $100.
• Awarded the bid of $9,700 from M & S Lawn Service for mowing the grass at township hall and Hicks and Miner cemeteries. A second bid, from Lawn Factory, came in at $70 lower, but Clerk Kelli Morris noted M & S did the work last year and it was more than satisfactory.
• Scheduled a special budget workshop for 6 p.m. Monday, March 26, to work o0n the proposed 2018-19 fiscal year budget that begins April 1.
• Was told by Andrysiak that all members of the Planning Commission were re-elected to their posts last month.
COVER PHOTO: Township Board members (from left) Michelle Harris, Chuck Andrysiak, Kelli Morris, Michelle Harris and Kevin Travis examine the 29 entries for the logo contest from Allegan, Martin, Hopkins and Otsego schools.
Hello so glad you liked my logo! A lot of revisions went into it. My name is spelled Caylie Riess for any future media articles.