WOODLAND, Maine — It was approximately a half-hour of smooth sailing, more or less, approving the first 31 articles at the annual Woodland town meeting, but then came the final article, article 32. To see if the town would vote to enact a recreational marijuana prohibition ordinance.
“We’re engaged in a unique discussion tonight where no one has to raise their hand and say ‘I smoke dope’ or ‘I like to smoke dope’ or ‘I believe in smoking dope’,” board chair Thomas Drew said to about 30 Woodland residents who turned out to the Woodland Consolidated School gymnasium last Tuesday evening.
“We’re going to sit here and we’re going to write an ordinance that would be a lot harder to undo once you’ve done it before we have a full understanding of how (the state) might want to write it,” he added.
One by one residents approved articles unanimously with little to no discussion save the final article.
The town’s general government saw an increase of $12,200 from the previous budget year. The total tax commitment also went up by $23,469 from the previous budget year.
For the municipal election out of a total of 98 votes cast, citizens reelected selectmen Carl Grant with 60 votes while Collin Patterson only had 37 votes and one blank. For school board members, voters chose Christopher Kilcollins and Heather Pelletier with 67 and 77 respective votes. There were 49 blank and three write-ins for Kathy St. Peter, Craig McGlinn and Peggy Deveau.
The marijuana ordinance was approved and is now in place with four opposed after townsfolk discussed whether or not to table the ordinance for a year so as to see how the state legislature handles the recent statewide approval of recreational marijuana.
“If you’re going to vote for an ordinance in your town so you can go home tonight and feel good about your contribution to a drug problem I’m going to tell you I’m writing a book about hypocrites and I’ll give you a copy,” Drew said.
The purpose and intent of the ordinance is to impose a ban on the operation of marijuana establishments and marijuana social clubs, according to the town.
“I’m not so concerned about the person who decides to grow marijuana out behind their house,” Woodland resident Mary Ayers said. “What I don’t like is the idea of somebody coming in and buying land and building a social club and then we’ve got problems with noise and people driving under the influence.”
Along with the passage of the ordinance comes two obstacles for the town: enforcing the ordinance and paying for legal fees if the ordinance is challenged.
“I don’t see how we can enforce something that we don’t know how the law is written yet,” Drew said.
“The three of us are not going to go door to door to see if you’re growing marijuana in your basement,” board member William Barnum said.
To brace itself in case of legal fees the town voted to set aside $10,000.
“We have an attorney on retainer so to speak to represent the town’s interests,” Barnum said.
With the approval of the ordinance the board of selectmen can approach the district attorney and say they have someone violating the ordinance, according to Barnum.
“Truthfully we’re not doing anything,” Drew said. “I don’t know who’s going to enforce it, how we can have an ordinance and expect the state cops to come and take care of five joints that weren’t a problem (before) and they can’t take care of the meth that’s being made in town.”
