VBT enacts moratorium on applications for marijuana facilities

At its Dec. 20 regular meeting, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved enacting a moratorium to defer the review of applications pertaining to Medical Marijuana Cultivation Facilities until May 20, 2017.
The township had adopted an ordinance in June to allow up to six primary caregivers to get together to grow their allowed plants in a facility in an Industrial zoning district. The ordinance prohibited dispensaries.
Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, sent a letter to Supervisor Kevin McNamara recommending the moratorium based on a new law that takes effect in December 2017.
He said under the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, the township has to decide whether or not to allow one, some, or all five medical marihuana facilities into its jurisdiction.
The facilities are: cultivation facilies, processor (creation of marihuana-based products), dispensaries, secure transporters and marijuana testing labs.
There are also provisions in the law that provides for additional taxes and fees to the township from these facilities.
Akers said the moratorium would give township officials time to study the situation and makes decisions. He said is the moratorium is approved, staff will work with the supervisor’s office, public safety, the planning commission, and legal counsel to develop a recommendation for the township board.
The board discussed the moratorium during its work/study session on Dec. 19.
The issue was presented at the Dec. 20 regular board meeting by Matthew Best, deputy director of planning and economic development. He said after the six-month moratorium is over, the township could enact another six-month moratorium if it wasn’t ready to make its decisions.
“We can see what’s facing Sumpter and we don’t want to go there,” said Trustee Sherry Frazier.
“The State of Michigan passed a law and we’re living under the law,” said Supervisor McNamara.
“We get a call every week and numerous calls about growing facilities,” he said.
“Several people are looking to site growing facilities in our township,” Best agreed.
In other business at the Dec. 20 meeting, the board:
• Approved the combination of five lots in the northeast corner of Denton and Michigan Avenue for a commercial development;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointment of Robert McKenna as a full member of the Board of Zoning Appeals with a term to expire Dec. 1, 2019;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointment of Angela Nettro, Juanita Jensen, Harry Roesch, and Loretta Speaks (alternate) to the Board of Review with terms to expire Dec. 31, 2018;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointment of Carol Thompson and Joan Franzoi to the planning commission with terms to expire Oct. 1, 2019;
• Approved a resolution adopting the Downriver Utilities Wastewater Authority Service Agreement. Once the service agreement is approved by all 13 members of the authority it can get a credit rating, and issue bonds. Farther down the road each community can decide whether to be an owner or customer;
• Approved the Residential Field Appraiser job description and personal services agreement between Gina Dorazio and the township. Pay had already been approved in the budget as $35,360;
• Approved the job description for Human Resource Director and the personal service agreement between Nicole D.W. Sumpter and the township. Pay had already been approved in the budget as $66,000;
• Approved the job description and personal service agreement for Daniel Selman for the position of executive assistant to the supervisor on a 6-1 vote with Trustee Reggie Miller voting no. Pay of $50,000 was already approved in the budget. Trustee Miller said she voted no because, “I feel this is an executive position. Education is not a replacement for experience.” Selman had graduated from University of Michigan-Dearborn, with a degree in local government, but has no experience;
• Heard Trustee White read a letter that was sent to all members of the board by George Deverich and also printed in thee Independent. It concerned the previous board’s proposal to approve a fifth amendment to the host community agreement with Waste Management that eliminates free trash pickup and eliminates the golf course at the corner of Ecorse and Hannan, among other changes;
• Heard Ernie Tozier, 9200 Hannan Road, say he wants those appointed to boards and commissions to be residents of the township. “I do not know a single commission member that doesn’t live in Van Buren Township, McNamara said;
• Heard Trustee Frazier say all jobs in the township should be posted inside and outside, “not just anoint people already working here and move them up.” That way “you can hold inside candidates up against outside candidates and say we made the right choice,” she said. Trustee Miller agreed she would support Frazier to make a motion on a policy for hiring. McNamara said since two trustees want this to be an agenda item on the next agenda it will be. Trustee White also agreed and said there could be a 90-day probationary period and try to get politics out of the system; and
• Heard Tozier say he read the original landfill host community agreement with Waste Management and it documents that the landfill cannot be expanded past the golf course. McNamara said, “This board will be dealing with that in January. We will take a long time to review this. You may be right…We will have a big discussion.” Tozier said, “It’ll be a major bill.”
Long-Term Debt Fund
At the work/study session of Dec. 19, the board discussed a recommendation by Treasurer Sharry Budd to create a Long-Term Debt Fund and transfer $4 million into it from: the General Fund, $2.5 million and from the landfill fund $1.5 million, and to also transfer $1 million in each following year, $500,000 from each fund. Budd said the 2015 audit recommended $4 million be put into reserve and this will set the money aside into its own fund. This is scheduled for a vote at the Jan. 10 meeting of the township board.