Sumpter OKs first reading of ordinance on provisionary centers

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
At its regular meeting June 24, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees approved the first reading of an ordinance to establish the lawful use of Medical Marijuana Provisioning Centers.
This is the general ordinance that will be paired with a zoning ordinance on the subject being prepared by the planning commission.
Attorney Rob Young explained that the ordinances will work to try to control the dispensing of medical marijuana.
It will allow the police to regulate the centers and to limit those locations.
Young said the state government is leaving management of the centers to local municipalities.
As to other communities, “A lot of people had thrown their hands up and said willy-nilly, do what you want,” Young said.
Sumpter is trying to set up rules to regulate the local provisioning centers which are legal under state law.
He said there will be some modifications to the general ordinance being presented that evening. He said the zoning ordinance being prepared by the planning commission on the subject will have a public hearing at 7:05 p.m., Aug. 14.
Young said the general ordinance will be brought back for its second reading and final adoption after the public hearing on the zoning ordinance.
In other business at the June 24 meeting, the board:
• Approved with regrets the retirement of Rodney Wiley from the fire department after 13 years of service. A plaque will be presented in about a month;
• Approved the requested leave of absence for fire fighter James Talbert to attend college. Talbert has been offered a scholarship in Pennsylvania to go to school to be a police officer. He will return to Sumpter in January;
• Approved a resolution on the merging of Comcast and the name change to Midwest Cable, Inc., as part of the merger. Sumpter is a Franchise Authority of Comcast’s local franchise;
• Heard Trustee Donnie Swinson announce that Parks and Recreation’s annual Family Fun Day will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at Graham Park;
• Agreed to amend the fast-track agreement with Carleton Farms landfill to require any new construction to use the new synthetic liner that has been developed. The current agreement carries a liner requirement that is 25 years old, Young said, adding this amendment is prophylactic in nature and there have been no problems with the landfill;
• Heard Mary Ban ask about the number of fire fighters on hand, since fire fighters continue to resign and move out of the township. Fire Chief Joe Januszyk said he still has 25 and they are recruiting new fire fighters;
• Heard Ban say the proposed lease agreement from the Belleville Area District Library Board for space in the community center for a satellite library is “not worth the paper it’s written on.” Young said Trustees Alan Bates and William Hamm will be sitting down with him on the following Thursday to study the lease;
• Heard Ban mention that the lease agreement proposes $1 for 30 years to be paid by the library to Sumpter. She said Head Start paid $17,000 a year for that space. Young said the library will be participating in the cost of utilities, which Head Start didn’t. Treasurer John Morgan said the former school building was scheduled for demolition 25 years ago and the township talked to the school board and got the building. “A 30-year lease on that building and it won’t last 30 years,” Morgan said. “That’s how little thought they put into the subject.”
• Heard Sharon Douglas warn the township about what would happen to the township environment if Savoy Energy proceeds with its planned drilling for oil and gas. “We are committed to preserving our environment,” said Treasurer Morgan. “Those things we control, we’ll do everything we can”; and
• Heard State Rep. LaVoy report on business in Lansing, including a 5.3% increase in Sumpter’s state shared revenue, if the governor signs the new bill. He said the cities and villages in the state will get an average of 2.5% increase.