HODGDON, Maine — Hodgdon’s plans to vote on a retail marijuana ban hit a snag Thursday evening.
Due to a technical error in the way the signatures of the town’s Board of Selectmen were obtained for the special town meeting, Town Manager Jim Griffin told those gathered that it would be in the town’s interest to postpone the vote.
A near standing-room-only group of 211 registered voters attended Thursday night’s meeting at the Mill Pond Elementary School.
“I apologize for you all being here,” Griffin said. “This week I learned of a small technicality in the way it (selectmen’s signatures on the warrant) was done and it jeopardizes the future if anyone decided to take us to court.”
Hodgdon Town Manager Jim Griffin, second from left, swears in Steve London as the moderator for Thursday night’s special town meeting. Looking on are selectmen Ricky Tidd, far left, and Joel Duff, far right.
(Joseph Cyr)
Griffin said the selectmen’s signatures on the town warrant should have been done in a public board meeting. Instead, he erroneously took the warrant to each individual board member to sign.
“I was not aware that it (signing) was not quite legal,” he said. “In doing my research this week to make sure we vote in the proper format, I came across that issue. It’s a technicality.”
He said the town could proceed and vote on the matter Thursday, but any action taken could potentially be challenged in a court of law.
“We don’t have very many ordinances in town, other than a dog issue, but by the looks of people here I would say this is quite a bit more critical,” Griffin added.
Residents had gathered to vote on a proposed ordinance that would ban any retail marijuana businesses and growing facilities within the town.
Hodgdon’s ordinance states, “Retail marijuana establishments, including retail marijuana stores, retail marijuana cultivation facilities, retail marijuana products manufacturing facilities, and retail marijuana testing facilities, and retail marijuana social clubs are expressly prohibited in this municipality.”
The ordinance would not impact medical marijuana growers, nor would it impede a private individual from growing his own personal-use marijuana plants.
According to Maine law, an individual who is 21-years of age or older may possess an unlimited amount of seeds, but no more than 12 immature plants and no more than six flowering plants.
Plants may be grown indoors or outdoors. Those growing indoors may only do so at their place of residence. Outdoor plants cannot be visible other than from the air or by binoculars and all plants must be tagged with the owner’s driver’s license or other identification number.
A person may grow their outside plants on someone else’s property with written permission, but must still follow the guidelines.
The Maine Legislature has been working on a separate law to govern recreational marijuana sales and commercial cultivation, but that work has not yet been completed.
Griffin said the selectmen will meet on Tuesday for the regular meeting, and at that time the board would sign a new warrant for another special town meeting.
