Friday is our Community Christmas Celebration! Please look to the Town Facebook page for all the exciting details. Posters are also available at the Town Bulletin Board at the Post Office. Also, feel free to contact the town offices if you need any additional information. I sincerely want to thank everyone that donated to our Community Christmas Fund. Special Thanks is extended to our Presenting Sponsor, Mountain Valley Federal Credit Union and Gold Star contributors such as Haselton Lumber and High Peaks Builders. Please look for all the donors in the gift bags and social media.
On December 14th at 6:45pm, the Wilmington Town Board will be holding a Public Hearing on allowing Cannabis Dispensaries within our community. Although this issue deals with Cannabis, one has to wonder if some of the legislators were considering other impacts when drafting this legislation.
Without a doubt, the proposed New York State Legislation leaves many communities with a lot of unanswered questions. As proposed, if a town does nothing, Cannabis dispensaries are permitted with no real local oversight or involvement. If a town “Opts” out, a couple of things happen. One, it allows the town to permit the dispensaries at a later date OR TWO, permits a town to place the issue on the ballot in the next general election for people to vote on provided a petition is submitted to the Town Clerk within 45 days of the date the local law was enacted. This petition must have at least 10 percent of the residents that voted in the last Governors election sign the petition.
Sound complicated? Well, it is. Clearly, New York State could have left this entire issue up to Home Rule of the local towns without all the hoops and jumps. The timeline of the issue also brings up their own problems. The New York State Association of Towns, of which Wilmington is a member, did compile a 12 page guide to assist communities to understand the law. I am glad we had this group’s assistance.
In Wilmington, if we “Opt out”, I will as a private citizen circulate a petition forcing the issue to a community wide vote. Regardless, we welcome input on this issue from the community.
Well friends, that’s all for this week. Stay safe and see you around town. –Roy