Trustee Morgan suggests opting into marijuana act to bring jobs to Sumpter

At the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees work/study session on June 22, Trustee Peggy Morgan said she had asked for her marijuana item to be placed on the agenda for that night’s meeting, but it wasn’t due to a lack of communication between her and the deputy clerk.
Her agenda item was to opt into the MMFLA (Michigan Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act) and welcome marijuana businesses to Sumpter.
The board had a lively discussion on the issue and took no action.
Trustee Morgan recalled that back in 2017 the township had a marijuana committee and committee member Sheena Barnes studied the subject and came up with a recommendation for 23 licenses.
Morgan said three months ago she started her own study and found that Amazon is investing in the marijuana industry and it would be nice to bring Amazon to the township.
“The marijuana industry is evolving at a rapid pace,” Morgan said. “I would like us to opt in.”
Trustee Tim Rush said the township opted out of the act. It was on step one of 1,000 steps. He said police and fire would have more work. And there is an increase in growth and population because of the upgrades to the mobile home parks.
Trustee Rush said he couldn’t even consider voting on a last-minute proposal.
Supervisor Tim Bowman said there are a whole lot of things that have to be considered before such action.
“The first step is opting in and then the other things take place,” Morgan said. She said Belleville is on the map now with its marijuana industry. She said their first step was to opt in and then they dotted their i’s and crossed their t’s.
Rush said Morgan was putting the cart before the horse and you have to have an ordinance before opting in.
“I don’t care what Belleville does,” Rush said, adding you have to have the ordinance first and then make the decision to opt in.
Trustee Matt Oddy said he was against it in 2017, but he’s not against marijuana. He said he drives to work along Eight Mile Road and sees a string of nudie bars and dispensaries.
“I didn’t want this along Sumpter or Willis roads,” he said. He said he hasn’t seen anything but negatives and law suits for those who have opted in. He said while at first it was thought a lot of money would be coming to communities, zero money is coming. He said more research is needed.
“I personally don’t want to see dispensaries,” Oddy said, noting the township is unable to get a CVS or grocery chain to come. “I don’t want to get on the map” for marijuana. “Those marijuana meetings were no fun,” he said referring to the meetings he chaired in 2017.
“Sumpter is a residential community,” Oddy said. “If Belleville wants to be known as that… I don’t want Sumpter Township to be known as the marijuana capital.”
Morgan said 68% of the voters voted for recreational marijuana. She said Amazon is looking to sell and deliver marijuana and 70% of the U.S. is using some type in some form.
“Other communities jump on it and we lose out,” Morgan said.
“You’re right,” Oddy said. “Amazon is getting into it.” He said now people can grow their own marijuana or drive three miles into Belleville.
He said he doesn’t want to put up a dispensary next door to a residence. He said residents did vote 67% to legalize marijuana, but not to have it next door. They can have it delivered, he said. He said he does not want to commercialize the township.
Supervisor Bowman said he would be not be opposed to something in the industrial area.
“Every single community on the list I gave you has lawsuits over who was chosen,” Bowman said.
Morgan said Michigan handles licensing and once they get approved by the state the township has to decide.
“The township has pretty much all the say,” said township attorney Rob Young, adding Westland has been sued and Federal Judge Bernie Friedman has issued a staying order for Detroit, who gave preference to local residents in violation of other’s constitutional rights.
Young said if you even get into this, be very careful who you give permits to. He said at the beginning the township thought it would be getting all this money coming in. But under MMFLA if the state engages in recreational marijuana, the tax goes from 6% to zero.
Young said when it was passed, “They tried to moon walk out of it” and you can get up to $5,000 a year per license, but they had much more in debt.
“Anyone know what the average for a year is?” Young asked concerning what municipalities are getting.
Oddy stated it was $23,000 a year and Young agreed.
“Check it out,” Young said. “I didn’t make this up. Three or four communities in Wayne County opted in. Why? Maybe this is not what we all want to do. I’m not opposed to marijuana. Friends use it for issues…”
He said 23 licenses were proposed for the township and, “I don’t think there’s 25 of anything in the township.” Young said it doesn’t have to benefit the township and suggested board members might like to look at “the report we made.”
Morgan said there are three new board members and she knows people who support opting in. She said maybe somebody will put it on the ballot to vote on.
Bowman asked about just manufacturing marijuana.
Young said he can get documents. He said there is a Detroit Free Press story about a federal government study on marijuana causing suicide. “It’s a complicated issue,” Young said.
“Is it simpler with just growers?” Bowman asked.
“Potential fallout could come to that,” Young said. “Communities went the other way with just a few dispensaries … because of the smell during growing season. It’s a problem we had over time.”
Young said he went out to a location during harvest time. He said there is a reason communities are getting into that and it’s for the medical benefits. He said Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor received $70,000 last year and they are not doing it for the money.
“My main thing is jobs,” Morgan said. She said she wanted to clarify that the city of Belleville did not go on their own. The public voted it in, not the council, she said.
“We have a lot of things on our plate,” said Oddy, listing staffing and safety issues with grass cutting. He suggested the board handle these very important issues first.
“I agree with Matt,” said Trustee Don LaPorte. “We have so many irons in the fire right now.” He suggested they get the township working as a well-oiled machine first.
Earlier in the work/study session, Morgan also had initiated a discussion on possibly dividing the water/sewer department from the building and grounds department with the goal to get grass mowing done, especially over signs, at corners, and at fire hydrants since this is a safety hazard.
Wayne County is unable to do the roadsides because of a lack of manpower, according to reports.
Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara during his visit with the board reportedly told them his township was going to start cutting the roads and they are buying a cutter.
Bowman said it was good VBT is willing to help out Sumpter, but he would prefer looking into Sumpter buying its own tractor to do the work itself. He said he and his deputy are doing a study on the water department. He said daily accounts of what they do would help him understand what gets done and what doesn’t.