Should Grafton expand its marijuana licenses? Select Board says no but Planning Board may consider warrant article
The Planning Board will consider sponsoring a Town Meeting warrant article to expand the town’s marijuana licenses — the same article that Select Board rejected on Tuesday.
Under the current bylaw, based on a formula determined by the number of Grafton liquor licenses, the town now allows just two licenses for recreational marijuana sales. Both MJ’s Market, 13 Centennial Drive, and Resinate, 135 Westboro Road, are now in the final confirmation stages with the state Cannabis Control Commission. A third, Noble Manna, proposed by former Selectman Bruce Spinney for 130 and 134 Worcester St. would be the likely recipient of an additional license.
The Select Board originally asked Town Administrator Tim McInerney to draw up a marijuana expansion article for the June 20 Town Meeting. But when the board reviewed the warrant at Tuesday’s meeting, the marijuana article was shot down, 3-2.
“I’m not in favor of this article,” Select Board Chairperson Jennifer Thomas said. “We wanted to be conservative in how many we wanted to allow. We didn’t want one on every corner.”
Thomas instead suggested a “wait and see” approach, delaying any expansion until after the first two businesses open.
“I feel that two licenses is perfectly adequate for our community,” Select Board member Donna Stock said, noting that people she’s spoken to while campaigning have expressed concerns about marijuana and children.
Select Board member Peter Carlson said many of McInerney’s budget projections are based on marijuana income and said that voting for the warrant isn’t expressing support.
“I want the town to decide what they want to do,” Carlson added.
With Stock, Thomas and Doreen DeFazio voting against putting the article and Carlson and Ed Prisby voting for, the article will now be taken up by the Planning Board.
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