Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Clinton — A medical marijuana cultivation facility has been proposed for the fourth floor of Macgregor Mills, a former factory at 75 Green St., now known as Dunn & Co. and Legacy Publishing Group.
Selectmen heard a presentation on the proposal, to be called the Liberty Compassion Center, Wednesday night from Bill Eldridge of Opus Ventures Partners, Portland, Maine, who runs a similar operation in Auburn, Maine, and five other locations. He was accompanied by Dave Dunn, owner of the building.
The facility, Eldridge said, would house four separate operations: growing rooms, processing rooms, extraction and dosage production, and a commercial kitchen for making edibles, such as cookies, drinks and candy. There are no plans for a retail dispensary, he said, and all products would be transported to such dispensaries in Massachusetts, likely in West Springfield or Greater Boston.
If approved, the operation would initially employ 18 to 22 workers, starting at $13 an hour. If the entire fourth floor is used, that would increase to 35 to 40 employees. Managers would make from $50,000 to $100,000 a year.
Eldridge, a retired businessman, said he may want to add the third floor, which would up employment to 65 to 70 workers. He would invest $3 million to $4 million at first, with an additional $2 million to $3 million to expand the fourth floor and another $4 million to build out the third floor, and a right of first refusal to buy the 100,000-square-foot building. Dunn said he has known Eldridge for years, having met him at trade shows and subsequently renting space to him for other products not related to marijuana.
Medical marijuana has been approved for use in Massachusetts and 24 other states, but is still considered illegal under federal law and therefore cannot be taken out of state. Eldridge, who said he smoked marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s, asked the board for a letter of support, or non-opposition. He said medical uses include pain relief, including side effects of chemotherapy, and treatment of severe childhood seizures.
The board decided to hold off on an opinion until after Eldridge consults with Police Chief Mark Laverdure, and the board hears from the chief. Also, selectmen requested Town Administrator Michael Ward and Eldridge discuss compensation to town departments in exchange for support.
Eldridge said the facility, which is near a multi-unit complex on Green Street, would be secured with cameras, vibration and motion sensors, steel doors and safe rooms for marijuana products. Employees would be required to wear scrubs and sterile shoes and there would be tracking of all marijuana, from seed to sale.
Dunn pointed out that the town is losing manufacturing buildings "left and right." He said his building is only half full.
"When they're gone, they're gone," Dunn said.
The only selectman to speak against the plan was William Connolly, who said he cannot philosophically support something illegal (by federal standards), especially one near a residential area. Connolly suggested such a venture is better suited for neighboring communities more in tune with agricultural operations, rather than a dense town like Clinton.
Chairman Marc Iacobucci requested that Eldridge hire locals and he agreed. Iacobucci also questioned water usage. Eldridge said about 3,500 to 4,500 gallons a day would be used for the fourth floor, and would double if the third floor is used.
Selectman Michael Dziokonski asked if there would be a marijuana smell in the area. Eldridge said carbon filtration would prevent odors.
Olde Home Day
Earlier in the meeting, the board met with members of the Olde Home Day Committee, to discuss this year's two-day event, the 17th, to take place Sept. 8 and 9.
Committee members Donna Merriman and Mary Backiel said the event, held in Town Hall and Central Park, is one of the most popular in Central Massachusetts and regularly draws huge crowds. However, Merriman pointed out that it is a town event and money is tight. They are pleased if the committee breaks even, she said.
Connolly suggested making a donation this year from the town Civic Fund, which Ward will investigate, and funding the event - along with the annual July fireworks display by the Fire Department - from the annual town budget. Both were approved unanimously.
In addition, they asked that one of the selectman open the Olde Home Day event on Saturday morning. Dziokonski agreed to do so.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: New Project Has Pot-ential
Author: Karen Nugent
Contact: (508) 793-9200
Photo Credit: Thinkstock
Website: Telegram
Selectmen heard a presentation on the proposal, to be called the Liberty Compassion Center, Wednesday night from Bill Eldridge of Opus Ventures Partners, Portland, Maine, who runs a similar operation in Auburn, Maine, and five other locations. He was accompanied by Dave Dunn, owner of the building.
The facility, Eldridge said, would house four separate operations: growing rooms, processing rooms, extraction and dosage production, and a commercial kitchen for making edibles, such as cookies, drinks and candy. There are no plans for a retail dispensary, he said, and all products would be transported to such dispensaries in Massachusetts, likely in West Springfield or Greater Boston.
If approved, the operation would initially employ 18 to 22 workers, starting at $13 an hour. If the entire fourth floor is used, that would increase to 35 to 40 employees. Managers would make from $50,000 to $100,000 a year.
Eldridge, a retired businessman, said he may want to add the third floor, which would up employment to 65 to 70 workers. He would invest $3 million to $4 million at first, with an additional $2 million to $3 million to expand the fourth floor and another $4 million to build out the third floor, and a right of first refusal to buy the 100,000-square-foot building. Dunn said he has known Eldridge for years, having met him at trade shows and subsequently renting space to him for other products not related to marijuana.
Medical marijuana has been approved for use in Massachusetts and 24 other states, but is still considered illegal under federal law and therefore cannot be taken out of state. Eldridge, who said he smoked marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s, asked the board for a letter of support, or non-opposition. He said medical uses include pain relief, including side effects of chemotherapy, and treatment of severe childhood seizures.
The board decided to hold off on an opinion until after Eldridge consults with Police Chief Mark Laverdure, and the board hears from the chief. Also, selectmen requested Town Administrator Michael Ward and Eldridge discuss compensation to town departments in exchange for support.
Eldridge said the facility, which is near a multi-unit complex on Green Street, would be secured with cameras, vibration and motion sensors, steel doors and safe rooms for marijuana products. Employees would be required to wear scrubs and sterile shoes and there would be tracking of all marijuana, from seed to sale.
Dunn pointed out that the town is losing manufacturing buildings "left and right." He said his building is only half full.
"When they're gone, they're gone," Dunn said.
The only selectman to speak against the plan was William Connolly, who said he cannot philosophically support something illegal (by federal standards), especially one near a residential area. Connolly suggested such a venture is better suited for neighboring communities more in tune with agricultural operations, rather than a dense town like Clinton.
Chairman Marc Iacobucci requested that Eldridge hire locals and he agreed. Iacobucci also questioned water usage. Eldridge said about 3,500 to 4,500 gallons a day would be used for the fourth floor, and would double if the third floor is used.
Selectman Michael Dziokonski asked if there would be a marijuana smell in the area. Eldridge said carbon filtration would prevent odors.
Olde Home Day
Earlier in the meeting, the board met with members of the Olde Home Day Committee, to discuss this year's two-day event, the 17th, to take place Sept. 8 and 9.
Committee members Donna Merriman and Mary Backiel said the event, held in Town Hall and Central Park, is one of the most popular in Central Massachusetts and regularly draws huge crowds. However, Merriman pointed out that it is a town event and money is tight. They are pleased if the committee breaks even, she said.
Connolly suggested making a donation this year from the town Civic Fund, which Ward will investigate, and funding the event - along with the annual July fireworks display by the Fire Department - from the annual town budget. Both were approved unanimously.
In addition, they asked that one of the selectman open the Olde Home Day event on Saturday morning. Dziokonski agreed to do so.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: New Project Has Pot-ential
Author: Karen Nugent
Contact: (508) 793-9200
Photo Credit: Thinkstock
Website: Telegram
