Page 4 • Wednesday , June 2 , 2021 • The Hammonton Gazette
Council votes on ordinance prohibiting cannabis businesses in town
WEED , from Page 1
“ New Jersey has the best cannabis labor laws in the country ... these laws not only create union jobs from seed to sale , but they also create union jobs for the retrofit and the buildout , such as iBeW , steamfitters and carpenters . these are good , union-wage jobs , from shovel to sale ,” Giordano said .
Mayor Stephen DiDonato addressed Giordano ’ s concerns .
“ We agree with you that these will be good-paying jobs someday — whoever gets them , whatever town — but we have to do this to protect the town , because right now , somebody could say , ‘ i ’ m going to open this next to a school system ,’ and there ’ s no stopping them . We have to do this to protect the residents of the community ,” DiDonato said .
DiDonato said that the purpose of the ordinance is “ not Hammonton saying ‘ no ’ to cannabis .”
“ it ’ s saying ‘ yes ’ to control if and when cannabis comes , where we ’ re going to have it , how we ’ re going to have it , what business we ’ re going to deal with , what entity we ’ re going to deal with . We ’ re not saying ‘ no .’ We have to do this to get more information . if not , on august 22 , we have no more home rule . We ’ re not saying yes or no tonight . We ’ re saying we ’ re looking for a little more control , more information , more input , more time ,” DiDonato said .
Michael Malinsky , the town solicitor , explained further .
“ if the state had adopted all the regulations regarding cannabis , and how they ’ re going to control cannabis in the state of New Jersey , then you ’ d be able to make a more informed decision . the problem is , the state has not adopted all the regulations regarding cannabis ; you can ’ t make an informed decision at this point ,” Malinsky said .
Malinsky said that if action is not taken by august 22 , the town of Hammonton would be locked in to allow it , and whatever the state regulations come out to be , you ’ re bound by them for the next five years .”
“ Whereas , by doing this , you can always see what the regulations are , and then decide what Hammonton wants to do at a later date by then changing your ordinances or amending your ordinances to then allow farming — if you want to allow farming — then allow dispensaries — if you want to allow dispensaries — in certain locations , but at least then you ’ ll know what the regulations are and be able to make an informed decision . the state passed it into law without the regulations in effect until they adopt it , and i don ’ t even know if they ’ ve completed public comment on it ,” Malinsky said . Later in the meeting , Malinsky readdressed the issue .
“ i checked with our cannabis department . the New Jersey Cannabis regulatory , enforcement assistance and Marketplace Modernization act commission isn ’ t going to have the regulations out until august , which means then they ’ d have to have public comment , so well beyond the date at which we would have to pass an ordinance — so it doesn ’ t give any municipality time to actually see the regulations before they take action ,” Malinsky said .
DiDonato expressed dissatisfaction regarding the lack of finalized guidance .
“ the state should have given more direction before they — again — they went off half-cocked . they approved something that wasn ’ t ready for prime time , so we can ’ t get caught up in their inadequacy in this law ,” DiDonato said .
Councilman William Olivo concurred .
“ i don ’ t want the state regulating the town of Hammonton as far as cannabis ,” Olivo said .
Councilman Jonathan Oliva informed council that the Hammonton Planning Board sent a letter in support of Ordinance No . 004- 2021 . the ordinance was adopted and
See TOWN , Page 16