Sue LaBonville envisions a boutique-style cannabis microbusiness in Sanford, and Monday night, she found she had much support.
Nearly 30 people attended the regular village meeting Monday at the Jerome Township Hall and all but a few had something to say about the village opting in to offer cannabis. Only one of the residents to speak had cast it in a negative light.
Steve Zimmerman cited reports from two other states that mentioned allowing cannabis stores would breed a downtrodden neighborhood, one plagued with robberies, loitering and loss of other businesses. He also reminded the council that while marijuana is legal in Michigan, it is not legal federally.
Most comments were in support of cannabis.
Resident Willy Caven doesn’t use cannabis, but her daughter with cancer does.
“I don’t feel cannabis is evil,” Caven said. “I think it’s a blessing.”
Attorney Matt Kuschel of the village’s law firm Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes, attended the meeting. He gave direction on what the village needs to do if it opts in to allow cannabis in the municipality. He said there are certain things the village would have to do if they approve it, such as establishing store criteria, how many they would allow, and changing the zoning.
LaBonville is proposing a microbusiness. According to the Michigan Regulatory Agency, a microbusiness license allows the licensee to grow up to 150 marijuana plants, process them on-site, and sell products directly to the recreational marijuana consumer.
Currently, the nearest places offering cannabis are Bay City and Loomis. Many at Monday’s meeting noted those municipalities are reaping the benefits of having cannabis stores and gaining the profits. When people go there for pot, they may spend money shopping and going out to eat.
Duane Dalrymple, a truck driver from Homer Township, didn’t believe in cannabis. After injuring his hip and having part of his leg severed, he ended up on a daily diet of 15 medications which consisted of 21 pills and a half-gallon of vodka a week. It was at his epileptic son’s encouragement that Dalrymple tried cannabis.
Now he can’t say enough good things about it.
“I’m off all medication,” Dalrymple said. “I live, I don’t just exist, and it’s because of cannabis.”
Lee Welch, of Sanford, attended the meeting for his father, who was hit by a drunken driver that left his father on 32 medications and in constant pain. He started using cannabis.
“A dispensary would be a great thing to bring to Sanford,” Welch said. “I see a huge benefit.”
Welch’s father, Tom, also addressed the council Monday, saying cannabis replaced all but three of his medications, from muscle relaxers to pills for Parkinson’s.
“Getting off drugs is great,” Tom Welch said, noting that while cannabis is a drug, it isn’t the onslaught of other medications.
Bob Anderson is in full support of a microbusiness.
“It helped me quit drinking,” Anderson said, noting he has been sober five years. “It will improve everyone’s life 10-fold.”
Steve Scott, of Midland, who deemed himself a cannabis expert, said he’s been arrested for possession of it and used it to overcome testicular cancer. Scott would like to see a cannabis business in Sanford.
“Jesus saves, cannabis heals,” he said “It gave me an appetite and made me happier.”
JoEllen Billingsley noted people are already using cannabis in Sanford and the village isn’t getting the revenue.
“I’m really tired of driving to Bay City,” Billingsley said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
In November, LaBonville encouraged the village to opt in to allow cannabis. She felt strongly it would boost village revenue with taxes from cannabis sales and the influx of foot traffic to other businesses.
Michigan Cannabis Manufactures Association reports there were $3.2 billion in cannabis sales in the state in 2020.
The Anderson Economic Group did a study encouraged by the MCMA, that found one in five Michiganders reported using cannbis in the past year which resulted in $1 billion in legal sales in 2020; the regulated cannabis industry generated $169 million in tax and fee revenues in 2020; and approximately 70% of transactions in Michigan’s cannabis market occur outside of retail stores.
Sanford Village President Dolores Porte suggested the council visit some microbusinesses to see what they are like. The council hopes to decide soon of whether to opt in to allowing cannabis in the village. A decision could come as soon as next month. The council meets again at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Jerome Township Hall.
Be the first to comment