Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
For funding to repair Oak Hill Road Bridge, the city is looking to a medical-marijuana cultivation facility.
Mayor Stephen DiNatale announced Tuesday that RevolutionaryClinics, II Inc. donated $25,000 to the city as required through a community-host agreement -- money DiNatale hopes to use to fund part of a $85,000 bridge project.
"The Oak Hill Bridge provides direct access to the Cleghorn neighborhood, but more importantly it is utilized by our first-responders to enhance their response time," DiNatale said in a prepared statement.
RevolutionaryClinics, II -- formerly called the CAS Foundation -- is one of four companies interested in running medical marijuana cultivation facilities in Fitchburg that have entered into community-host agreements with the city.
If all four open in the city, City Solicitor Vincent Pusateri expects them to raise $1 million toward the city's needs annually, in addition to $130,000 in property-tax revenue.
The $25,000 from RevolutionaryClinics, II is the first return the city has seen on these host agreements.
The company received its final certification of registration for its Somerville dispensary in June, the first milestone requiring a payment to the city, according to an agreement signed in May 2016.
Over the next year, the company has agreed to pay $75,000 either directly to the city or through donations to a "community relations" board.
This sum doesn't include an additional annual payment to the city: 1.
25 percent of gross revenue, not exceeding $200,000 the first year.
Payments are expected to increase over time, according to the agreement.
DiNatale hopes to use this first payment toward strengthening the supporting beams on the north end of the bridge, similar to the project completed on the south end of same bridge two years ago.
Next week the City Council will be asked to approve $60,000 from available funds to pay the remainder of the cost, according to a press release from the city.
After a recent inspection, MassDOT concluded these repairs were necessary to keep the bridge open while the city works with the state to do a full replacement of the bridge, according to the release.
DiNatale said he does not have a timeline for when this replacement may happen.
The project is part of an effort to keep up with repairs on the 71 bridges in the city, he said.
"We're the city on the river so we have a lot of bridges," DiNatale said.
This election season, several council hopefuls pointed to the expected revenue from these community-host agreements to pay for other investments in the city, such as road repair.
"We'll be able to use some of that funding for what we feel would be in the best interest of the citizens of Fitchburg," DiNatale said.
Bert Vining, vice president of external relations at RevolutionaryClinics, II, said his step-mother, founder Jayne Vining, and the company have a "longstanding tradition of helping people."
The company started as a nonprofit, which provided heart screenings to young patients. After the founder's daughter died of an opioid overdose, the company pivoted, encouraged by studies showing reduced opioid deaths in areas with friendlier marijuana laws, Bert Vining said.
In addition to this infrastructure investment, Vining said the company would eventually like to put money toward combating the opioid epidemic.
"Our founder Jayne Vining has a passion for people, particularly fighting the opioid epidemic," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical-marijuana company's donation may fund Fitchburg bridge repairs - Sentinel & Enterprise
Author: Elizabeth Dobbins
Contact: Contact us - Sentinel & Enterprise
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Fitchburg Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic - Sentinel & Enterprise
Mayor Stephen DiNatale announced Tuesday that RevolutionaryClinics, II Inc. donated $25,000 to the city as required through a community-host agreement -- money DiNatale hopes to use to fund part of a $85,000 bridge project.
"The Oak Hill Bridge provides direct access to the Cleghorn neighborhood, but more importantly it is utilized by our first-responders to enhance their response time," DiNatale said in a prepared statement.
RevolutionaryClinics, II -- formerly called the CAS Foundation -- is one of four companies interested in running medical marijuana cultivation facilities in Fitchburg that have entered into community-host agreements with the city.
If all four open in the city, City Solicitor Vincent Pusateri expects them to raise $1 million toward the city's needs annually, in addition to $130,000 in property-tax revenue.
The $25,000 from RevolutionaryClinics, II is the first return the city has seen on these host agreements.
The company received its final certification of registration for its Somerville dispensary in June, the first milestone requiring a payment to the city, according to an agreement signed in May 2016.
Over the next year, the company has agreed to pay $75,000 either directly to the city or through donations to a "community relations" board.
This sum doesn't include an additional annual payment to the city: 1.
25 percent of gross revenue, not exceeding $200,000 the first year.
Payments are expected to increase over time, according to the agreement.
DiNatale hopes to use this first payment toward strengthening the supporting beams on the north end of the bridge, similar to the project completed on the south end of same bridge two years ago.
Next week the City Council will be asked to approve $60,000 from available funds to pay the remainder of the cost, according to a press release from the city.
After a recent inspection, MassDOT concluded these repairs were necessary to keep the bridge open while the city works with the state to do a full replacement of the bridge, according to the release.
DiNatale said he does not have a timeline for when this replacement may happen.
The project is part of an effort to keep up with repairs on the 71 bridges in the city, he said.
"We're the city on the river so we have a lot of bridges," DiNatale said.
This election season, several council hopefuls pointed to the expected revenue from these community-host agreements to pay for other investments in the city, such as road repair.
"We'll be able to use some of that funding for what we feel would be in the best interest of the citizens of Fitchburg," DiNatale said.
Bert Vining, vice president of external relations at RevolutionaryClinics, II, said his step-mother, founder Jayne Vining, and the company have a "longstanding tradition of helping people."
The company started as a nonprofit, which provided heart screenings to young patients. After the founder's daughter died of an opioid overdose, the company pivoted, encouraged by studies showing reduced opioid deaths in areas with friendlier marijuana laws, Bert Vining said.
In addition to this infrastructure investment, Vining said the company would eventually like to put money toward combating the opioid epidemic.
"Our founder Jayne Vining has a passion for people, particularly fighting the opioid epidemic," he said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical-marijuana company's donation may fund Fitchburg bridge repairs - Sentinel & Enterprise
Author: Elizabeth Dobbins
Contact: Contact us - Sentinel & Enterprise
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Fitchburg Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic - Sentinel & Enterprise
