GALIEN – The potential opening of medical marijuana facilities in Berrien County next year is still being pursued by at least three municipalities despite pleas from county officials to look at all the ramifications.
Galien Township is the latest municipality to take a step toward sanctioning medical marijuana businesses. Last week’s Galien Township Planning Commission meeting featured remarks by both Berrien County Prosecutor Mike Sepic and Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey. More than 50 people attended the meeting.
Planning commissioners voted 3-1 with one member absent to recommend that the Galien Township Board develop new ordinances and rules to allow medical marijuana growing and other facilities in the township. The issue will be on the agenda for the township board’s April 19 meeting.
Voting to move ahead with allowing medical marijuana facilities in the township were commission chairman Liz James, township clerk Jennifer Richter and commissioner Chuck Lorance. Commissioner Caleb Carr voted no and commissioner Kim Schmitz was absent.
If the township board moves ahead with developing new ordinances at their April meeting, Galien Township will be the third south county community to be open to allowing medical marijuana facilities. The Buchanan City Commission and the Niles City Council voted to opt in to the new state laws in late March.
Sepic spoke first, saying that he had been asked to come by a township resident. He raised concerns about possible abuses with the new laws such as the lack of limits on how often medical marijuana cardholders and caregivers will be able to buy the medical marijuana.
Other concerns he mentioned included the possibility that under age youth will abuse it just as they do alcohol, that the number of motor vehicle accidents involving serious injury or death while under the influence of marijuana will rise and that money received from taxes and fees can’t be spent “willy nilly” but on things like enforcement and inspections.
“We’ve seen abuses with the current law,” he said. “There are 150,000 patients with cards in the state, mostly for chronic back pain and similar diagnoses. I expect that a large number of those who voted to legalize medical marijuana originally wouldn’t think there would be abuses. This will make a lot more marijuana available.”
Bailey simply asked commissioners to vote no. “I came to ask you not to opt in,” he said. “People with cards are having no problems getting marijuana. We don’t need it in a storefront here.”
On the other side, a number of people spoke in favor of allowing medical marijuana facilities in the township and cited both health and economic development arguments. They said that everyone involved in such businesses would have thorough background checks done on them and facilities would be secure and closely monitored.
Several audience members asked about the possibility of having a referendum on the issue to get input from more people. Township attorney Sara Bell said doing so is not “the norm” but promised to investigate the matter.
New Buffalo resident Carie O’Donnell is one of five applicants who want to open medical marijuana facilities in the township. She spoke about both the health and economic benefits of medical marijuana.
“Real estate values will rise,” she said. “Pot is already being grown here, with this you will get the money and it will create many good paying jobs. I believe in this, you should vote for it. … Two towns are already going for it. I’m willing to put millions of dollars in it. You guys need the revenue.”
Steve Ratcliff of Lafayette, Ind. said he represented a group of investors proposing a 6,000 plant grove with a processing plant. He estimated that his project would be worth more than $10 million and end up employing 30 people. “It will look like a medical facility with security and double gates,” he said.
Commissioners who voted to move forward said they’re not necessarily in favor of allowing the medical marijuana facilities in the township but don’t want to shut down the possibilities without exploring all their options. They urged residents to continue to express their opinions and attend public meetings on the issue.
Richter noted that the township has received applications and interest for four of the five facility types allowed under the new laws approved last fall. She said people are asking to be able to have grow, processing, transport and dispensary type businesses in the township. The only type of facility people are not asking to open is a testing facility.
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