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BOS calls for moratorium on retail marijuana establishments

Selectmen at their Oct 17th meeting signed a special town meeting warrant to establish a 180-day moratorium on marijuana retail establishments and social clubs.The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Memorial School on Route 231.

Resident George Colby said he supported the moratorium.

By a 3-1 vote, the board agreed to bring the issue to voters before the Nov. 8 referendum, in case a citizen initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use by adults passes.

Selectman Stephen Hathorne said he opposed the moratorium based on smoking laws that ban tobacco use, but in this case would allow smoking marijuana in social clubs.

In other business, the board accepted a tax-increment financing amendment for the Pineland District. A public hearing and vote by residents will be scheduled. The document will be submitted to the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development for final approval.

This is the first amendment to the Pineland Municipal Development program since its adoption in August 2001, slated to run for 30 years. The TIF captures 100 percent of increased assessed value of taxable real property in the district in a segregated account for costly items from the development of the Pineland District.

The amendment is proposed for the purpose of adding new municipal projects to the development program, including a prorated portion of the costs of a new Public Works facility, municipal indebtedness and other financing costs associated with the project such as professional services.

The board also opened four closed bids for timber to be harvested using whole-tree timber harvesting equipment at 611 Lewiston Road. It’s a 25-acre site that includes the Fire Department complex and the preferred site of the town’s future highway department.

Paul Larrivee, a licensed forester who marked and assessed the trees for the board, will make a recommendation for the finalist Nov. 2.

Bidders included M.H. Humphrey and Sons of Parsonsfield; M.W. Trucking and Logging of Norway; Mark Andrews of West Paris; and Jim Everett and Sons of Waterford.

Mikayla Trafford was confirmed as the animal control officer for the town. She will also serve the town of Gray after she completes a weeklong training program in Orono.

 

Ellie Fellers, the SunJournal