By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
NORTHFIELD — City solicitor Kris Facenda reported progress on a draft ordinance on marijuana-related businesses, saying it should be ready for introduction in June.
All municipalities in the state are up against a deadline to permit or prohibit cannabis businesses now or be stuck with them for five years.
Councilman Brian Smith, who has been unequivocal in his opposition, noted that the city could quickly ban such businesses and decide at any time to allow them, but that if it does allow them, City Council could not prohibit them for five years and those already opened would be allowed to continue operating.
Noting he will never support it, he said he would rather wait to see how it pans out than jump in and be part of the first group and recognize after the fact that it’s not something the city wants.
“I would urge caution,” he said.
Councilman Dave Notaro, who has said publicly and privately that he is on the fence about allowing the businesses, noted the city could collect 2 percent of retail sales and 1 percent of manufacturing and distribution revenue.
“We need to find out what kind of income it would generate,” he said. “If it’s $20,000, it’s not worth it.”
Councilwoman Barbara Madden noted that 70 percent of voters, both locally and statewide, supported decriminalization of marijuana in a referendum.
Notaro said “there’s also the 30 percent.”
“I’m back and forth on it. I’m not taking a hard line like Brian but these are the discussions that we need to have,” he said, adding that being a gateway to the shore, the city probably would be a good place to have one.
“A gateway drug for the gateway town,” Smith replied.
City resident Heather Mellon, speaking during the public comment portion of the meeting, said she doesn’t think financial considerations should be part of the equation.
“If the only reason we are going to OK it is because of the money it might bring into the city, I think it’s very sad,” she said. “It’s not a good enough reason to have something like this in our town.”
Reporting on shared services May 18, Smith said Linwood approved a resolution to advance the agreement with Hamilton Township for a combined court. Linwood and Northfield currently share a court and Linwood is the lead agency.
“While we wait for the county to figure out what its plan is and for legislation to be passed, Linwood is moving forward with the agreement with Hamilton and we must respond to that,” Smith said. “If Linwood moves forward, Northfield would have to as well.”