Tuesday’s crowd packed the house; Wednesday’s stayed home.
But with more than 50 surveys in hand, the Village of Schoharie decided to allow both dispensaries and lounges by voting 3-1 not to opt out of the state cannabis law.
Municipalities have until December 31 to decide whether to follow the state’s lead, but no dispensaries or lounges are excepted to be licensed anywhere before 2023.
A large crowd at last Tuesday’s meeting spoke mostly in favor of the cannabis law, pointing to its potential for revenue and attracting new businesses.
Those opposed said the devil’s in the details and no one knows enough about the state’s plans to make a decision now.
Mayor Larry Caza and trustees delayed a vote until their employees meeting Wednesday, where they agreed not to opt out and to create a Citizens’ Advisory Board to look at things like zoning and hours of operation for any eventual pot business and expected draft regulations from the state.
That committee will include two trustees and members of the public.
The village surveyed residents by mail and email before voting; 54 said they were in favor of dispensaries, 14 said they were not; for lounges, 45 were in favor, 21 were not.
Local laws #3 and #4 won’t actually go into effect until the deadline has passed for a permissive referendum–a public vote residents could ask for by petition within the next 45 days.
The number of residents required on a permissive referendum petition is based on population; in Schoharie, it’s 35.
Mayor Caza and Trustees Cody Robinson-Bullock and Jeff Palmer voted in favor of both the dispensaries and lounges, Trustee Peter Johnson voted against both, and Trustee Sal Medak was absent, headed home from vacation.