SAUGUS — Town Manager Scott Crabtree did not meet the deadline set by Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano for recommendations on the seven cannabis dispensaries vying to open in town, and is likely to take another month to deliver recommendations to the board.
During the Board of Selectmen’s May 9 meeting, Cogliano asked Crabtree, who was not in attendance, to submit recommendations to his board by May 19, itself an extension of the self-imposed deadline of April 24. Crabtree had issued a request for information (RFI) from cannabis companies in January, with responses due in 30 days. From there, the RFI gave Crabtree and a “coordinated Marijuana Establishment Review Committee” 60 days to review applications.
Crabtree was under no obligation to meet the deadline and appeared to have the support of three of the five selectmen, who encouraged the town manager to take his time in reviewing the proposals.
The long, drawn-out process has clearly frustrated Cogliano, who was instrumental in lobbying Town Meeting to amend the town’s zoning bylaws to permit dispensaries.
“The only thing that gets done fast in this town is the sneaky contract extension,” he said, referencing the board’s decision to extend Crabtree’s contact through 2027 in January.
Now, Cogliano believes his board will not have recommendations until July, which he said is “insane.”
“He’s got the support of three board members so he can do whatever he wants,” Cogliano said Monday morning, apparently referencing the fact that Crabtree cannot be removed from his post without a supermajority vote from the board.
Potential dispensaries are now being asked to reschedule community outreach meetings, which are mandated by the Cannabis Control Commission, although six of seven applicants held meetings last fall.
“To me, it looks like we’re dragging the process out and it’s discouraging,” Cogliano said. “I would hope at some point we’re going to see this come to fruition.”
“It’s lost revenue,” he added.
The Board of Selectmen ultimately has final say on the dispensaries as the issuing authority for S2 permits in town. Cogliano said unless Crabtree deemed an applicant did not meet the requirements set out in the bylaws, he intended to hear all seven applicants out.
Cogliano said he would like Crabtree to rank the applicants, but ensure the board gets the final decision on which applications to grant. Only three licenses are available.
Marijuana-dispensary applicants would be brought forward for a special meeting, and would not appear during a regular meeting of the board, Cogliano said.
The RFI process has been shrouded in mystery, with Crabtree not commenting publicly on it since the document was issued in January.
The proposed locations for dispensaries are 24 Broadway, 44 Broadway, 181 Broadway, 1268 Broadway, 1393 Broadway, 1529 Broadway, and 173 Main St. Community outreach meetings will be held beginning at the end of this month and continue into June.
