Petitioners gathering names in city for Nov. marijuana vote

Petitions are being circulated in the City of Belleville for a Nov. 8 ballot question on whether voters want to allow the sale of medical marijuana in the city.
At Monday’s regular meeting of the city council, resident Angela Samyn reported that when she returned to her home on E. Huron River Drive that afternoon, petition circulators were holding clipboards and talking to her husband about it and he declined to sign.
The petitioners have until Aug. 2 to put something on the November ballot.
The issue of medical marijuana licensing was not on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, but resident Mike Renaud questioned the reason for hiring an attorney to work on the issue with the petitioner. He saw the item was on the follow-up list.
City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson, who had been consulting with the attorney who specializes in marijuana law, was not present for Monday’s meeting, so Mayor Kerreen Conley explained.
She said the same petitioners put the question of recreational marijuana sales on a city ballot and were successful in getting it passed. The facility that will be selling recreational marijuana at their shop on Savage Road is working its way through the state rules before it can open.
Mayor Conley said Chief Robinson was consulting with the petitioner on the proposed language and the council looked at it. She said the city can prescribe where such dispensaries may go.
“We had to allow recreational marijuana and they want to allow for medical marijuana sales, as well,” she said.
DPW Director Rick Rutherford said the city hired counsel for the opportunity to have input on what was going on the ballot. He said it was possible to change what they were proposing for the ballot and last time it was just brought in on the deadline day and put on the ballot.
“They basically created a monopoly and we don’t want a monopoly,” Mayor Conley said, noting it was very complicated.
She said the city had opted out of medical marijuana sales. Tom Fielder pointed out the people can vote to override the council.
It was pointed out that people with medical marijuana cards don’t have to pay the 16% sales tax imposed on recreational marijuana sales.
Councilman Steve Jones said the city still has the authority to determine where to put the dispensaries. He said for such a small city, the area for the dispensaries is quite large.
Mayor Conley said last time this petitioner came they brought people from Texas to collect signatures, and they were sure to get more than enough.
Becky Hasen said the law firm for the marijuana is also for changing the city charter and Mayor Conley agreed that law firm has expertise in that, too.
Renaud also asked about the follow-up list item about the vegetation topping along the lake from the pavilion to Huron River Drive that will be accomplished when the special BYC equipment arrives.
Mayor Pro-Tem Ken Voigt said that project along the bank is so people will be able to see the lake. He said BYC also plans to cut behind the Welcome to Belleville sign, between Liberty Street and the bridge, and behind the pump station at the end of First Street.
Renaud also asked about fixing the sprinklers at Horizon Park and Rutherford said they talked to the original installer of the sprinklers and he said they can’t be fixed and the city would need to begin over on sprinklers.