Sublette Village Board discusses sale of cannabis

Board will seek legal input on the issue

Tonja Greenfield
Posted 1/17/20

SUBLETTE — Three Sublette Village Board members reported hearing back from citizens with opinions against the village allowing the sale of cannabis in the village, but no action on the matter was taken.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Sublette Village Board discusses sale of cannabis

Board will seek legal input on the issue

Posted

SUBLETTE — Three Sublette Village Board members reported hearing back from citizens with opinions against the village allowing the sale of cannabis in the village, but no action on the matter was taken.

The board met for its monthly meeting on Jan. 13 at the Ellice Dinges Center. All board members were present.

-The issue of allowing the sale of cannabis in the village was first brought up during the December board meeting. Acting Village Mayor John Stenzel asked the board in December what they would like to do about businesses selling recreational cannabis in Sublette after it became legal in 2020. If the village allows for the sale of recreational cannabis in the village, it can tax that sale up to 3 percent. Sublette Village Trustee Julie Kessel made a motion to allow for the sale of cannabis in the village with a 3 percent retail tax. The motion died without a second. Stenzel then asked that the public contact the village trustees with their opinion on the matter.

During Monday night’s meeting, Stenzel said he has heard a lot of mixed reviews on the matter. He said, he himself, is against the village allowing for the sale of cannabis, even though the village would get the sales tax dollars. Sublette Village Trustee Jeff Myers said he had a couple of phone calls from residents who were opposed to it. Sublette Village Trustee Robert Bulfer said he too had heard from some residents who were opposed to it.

Stenzel said he would talk with the village attorney and find out if the village needs to vote on a motion if they do not want the sale of cannabis in allowed in the village.

In other board news:

  • Stenzel reported that the contractor put bulbs that are too small in the LED lights downtown and will come back and replace them at no cost.
  • Stenzel said they are looking at March for a showing of the film “All The Queens Horses.” He said the filming would have to be in the Ellice Dinges Center gym because of the need to stream the movie.
  • The board approved the purchase of two fireproof file cabinets for a total of $1,548 from Meyers Furniture, two minute books at a cost of $148 each from Staples, and new binders for ordinances.
  • Stenzel asked for a committee meeting to discuss the village moving to UBMax, an online utility management software, for water bills. He said with this software residents could look up their bills online and pay their bills online. He said the initial cost is $895 and then a yearly charge. The village currently pays around $500 a year for their current billing software.

The next village board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10 at the Ellice Dinges Center.