SAUGUS — Despite indications from members of the Board of Selectmen that a decision on the issuance of up to three special permits for recreational marijuana dispensaries would come at the board’s next meeting on Oct. 4, a vote will likely be delayed again as Chairman Anthony Cogliano indicated this week he does not feel prepared to make a decision.
This week’s update marks the latest twist in a saga that has consumed a tremendous amount of oxygen in town during the past few months, with Cogliano repeatedly slamming Town Manager Scott Crabtree for his role in the process. But, Cogliano is likely to face stiff opposition from fellow board members on the continuing delay of a decision or vote, with both Vice Chairman Debra Panetta and Selectman Michael Serino indicating they would like to take votes.
Panetta noted that the Marijuana Establishment Review Committee created by Crabtree issued its recommendations and a full report on the seven companies seeking to open in July — leaving ample time for selectmen to conduct their own research into the proposals.
“I visited each proposed Saugus location back in August,” she said. “At our last cannabis meeting, the board continued the hearings to give additional time to go on site visits and do whatever due diligence members needed prior to the vote. The thought was three additional weeks would give ample time for this review.”
“I will be prepared to take a vote on Oct. 4,” Panetta concluded. “I do not want to delay the process any further.”
Serino said he too visited each of the sites prior to the two nights of hearings selectmen held earlier this month, as he does for each of the special-permit applicants coming before the board.
“Cogliano… had plenty of time over the past seven months to visit their establishments if he felt it was necessary to duplicate the work of the town’s cannabis review committee,” Serino said in a statement, noting that Cogliano knew who the seven applicants were dating back to February when the companies completed a request for information issued by Crabtree.
“As always, I will be prepared to move forward regarding this issue,” he added.
Selectman Corinne Riley, arguably Cogliano’s closest ally on the board, said she had no issue with the vote being postponed.
“I hope it won’t be (delayed) for too long to benefit from the revenue that could be brought into our town,” she said in a statement.
Cogliano was defiant in saying he would not be rushed through the process.
He said there was “maybe one place” that could get voted on next week, but emphasized that he is not ready to make a decision on all seven applicants.
A supermajority vote by the board is required to approve an S-2 permit, and Selectman Jeff Cicolini has recused himself from the hearings due to a conflict of interest stemming from the fact that the accounting firm where he works does business with one of the companies applying for a permit. As a result, selectmen will be unable to issue S-2 permits to recreational marijuana dispensaries without Cogliano’s vote. And, with Riley indicating she would support Cogliano, it appears likely that any motions to take a vote or close the public hearings made by Panetta or Serino would fail.
Further complicating the process Saugus is undertaking, the Cannabis Control Commission on Wednesday adopted sweeping regulatory changes to the industry to implement the state’s equity reform law.
Among those changes were prohibitions on certain “provisions, terms, conditions, or clauses” of host community agreements, which would likely undermine many of the claims made by companies to the selectmen about the benefits of their businesses being granted special permits. The regulations specifically bar a “promise to make future monetary payment, in-kind contribution, or charitable contributions, whether explicit or implicit.”
But, the selectmen are limited in what they can actually consider in the issuance of S-2 permits, despite Cogliano’s insistence that he wants to bring in additional revenue for the town.
Town Counsel John Vasapolli, in a legal opinion sent to Panetta, explained that as the authority that grants special permits, the board is charged with reviewing the proposed locations and their compliance with the town’s zoning, while Crabtree is charged with actually negotiating the host community agreements.
