By Beth David, Editor
The Acushnet Selectboard voted to fill two open committee seats at its meeting on Tuesday, 1/23. In a joint session with the Acushnet School Committee, the two boards appointed Justin Brodeur to fill the Old Colony Regional Voc-Tech School Committee District Member appointment, replacing Paul Guilbeault.
Mr. Brodeur told the board that he has two young children and is a business owner. He said he heard about the opening and thought it would be a good opportunity for him to give to the town.
He was voted in unanimously by the full Selectboard and by the three members of the School Committee who were present: Sarah Gomes, David DeTerra, and Craig Sumner.
The Selectboard also voted to appoint Richard Debalsi to a seat on the Council On Aging, replacing Marcia Mitchell. Ms. Mitchell’s letter was submitted at the same meeting. Selectboard chairperson Kevin Gaspar said that Ms. Mitchell is moving out of town.
The board also adopted two policies: The Council on Aging Building Use Policy, and the Vehicle Use Policy.
The COA use policy outlines who gets priority, such has COA programs, COA/Senior Center related organizations and other town departments, non-profits and individuals.
The policy also outlines regulations, such as what is required to use the building, insurances, responsible parties, rules governing entertainment, and the care of the building. It also sets up a fee structure and cancellation policy.
The vehicle use policy includes guidelines for employees on use of town vehicles, and use of personal vehicles for work-related travel.
Items include stipends, expense reimbursement, insurance requirements, driving record requirements, and income tax rules.
The policy also lays out when and how an employee assigned a town vehicle may use it. Town vehicles may only be used for town business, except for incidental personal uses, such as stopping off at the grocery store or bank on the way home.
The policy also includes a prohibition on using handheld electronic devices in the vehicle.
Both policies will be posted on the town’s website.
Town Administrator Brian Noble presented the board with his preliminary budget numbers.
Among the changes from last year is a request for $13,000 to have the union job descriptions studied and written. The non-union jobs were written last year.
Mr. Noble also said that a change in town billing will go into effect soon so that water bills will not be due on the same date as taxes.
The water bill will now be due two weeks before taxes.
“It will be good for our residents,” he said.
Mr. Noble also gave the board an update on the ballot question about recreational marijuana. He said they are working with the Attorney General’s office on the wording.
Acushnet’s moratorium expires in June, so Mr. Noble is recommending three articles for town meeting: One to extend the moratorium, if necessary; one for the ballot question; and one for rules and regulations for recreational marijuana facilities in Acushnet.
If the rules and regulations are ready, then the moratorium extension will not be necessary.
The ballot question will ask voters if they want to allow retail marijuana in town. Because the town voted to support retail marijuana, a townwide vote is required to prohibit them.
If the moratorium expires and here are no rules in place, then the shop can go anywhere that is not prohibited by state law (such as near schools). According to the formula, Acushnet would only be allowed one retail marijuana shop.
The state rules, however, are still not very clear.
“It’s still a very fluid situation,” said Mr. Noble. “There’s no rule book.”
Add to that the complication with the current administration in Washington, DC, vowing to crack down in states that have legal marijuana, and a pointed press release from the region’s US Attorney (see Neighb News 1/18/18 issue) promising to do so, and the whole industry is operating under a cloud of uncertainty.
Mr. Noble said that the federal government has already handed down indictments in some cases and is pursuing more. He said they are using the RICO statute, which was designed for organized crime.
“So, it’s a pretty serious charge,” he said, adding that it is “silly” that the state says “yes” and the federal government says “no.”
Meanwhile, people have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the medical and recreational marijuana industries in Mass.
“Everybody is feeling their way through the dark,” said Mr. Noble. “There are a million ways to do it wrong, and only a couple of ways to do it right.” •••
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