FALCONER — Next month, residents in the town of Ellicott will be given an opportunity to share their opinion on if cannabis dispensaries and consumption locations should be allowed to operate in the town.
On Monday during the Ellicott Town Board meeting, the members set the public hearing for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to hopefully hear from town residents about dispensaries and consumption locations in the town.
‘It’s an opportunity to hear from the public,” said Pat McLaughlin, town supervisor.
The town board heard a report from its attorney, William Duncanson, about their options when it comes to the opt out local law.
Duncanson said there are three possibilities – one would be to do nothing and allow dispensaries and consumption locations to operate in the town. He said the second option would be to pass a local law to opt out of allowing marijuana dispensaries and consumption locations. However, he added town residents could circulate a petition to hold a permissive referendum vote and overturn the local law to opt out.
Duncanson said the third scenario would be for the town to pass the local law to opt out with no permissive referendum petition being circulated to overturn the board’s vote.
Duncanson also said if the town opts out before Dec. 31, they could opt back in at a future date. However, if the board doesn’t opt out by the end of the year, it will be nearly impossible to do so in future years.
McLaughlin said if the town passes a local law to opt out it would be for areas of the town outside of the villages of Celoron and Falconer, with both village boards making their own opt out decision.
“It’s time to think real hard and do some homework,” McLaughlin said.
In other business:
¯ No one attended a public hearing for a Community Development Block Grant application for a project at Jamestown Advanced Products, located at 2885 Gifts Road. According to the notice read during the public hearing, Jamestown Advanced Products is applying to receive a $750,000 federal grant for a $3 million equipment and machinery expansion project. Jamestown Advanced Products officials estimate the project will create 55 additional jobs.
Following the public hearing, the board approved submitting the CDBG application.
