By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Ortonville– On Tuesday morning, Village Manager David Trent fielded a phone call from an individual who wanted to meet and discuss establishment of a medical marijuana facility in the village.

The meeting won’t be happening, however, and the conversation was ended rather quickly when Trent told the caller the village council had just passed a resolution the night before opposing such establishments.

The village council approved by a 6-1 vote at their Nov. 28 meeting the resolution, which states,

“Whereas the village knows that the Michigan Legislature enacted the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act which, among other things, creates licensed medical marihuana facilities; and

Whereas, the act permits municipalities to authorize one or more of the licensed medical marihuana facilities to operate within their boundaries subject to the rules and regulations of the Act.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that:

1. The village council hereby resolves not to authorize any licensed medical marihuana facilities defined by the act to operate within the boundaries of the Village of Ortonville.”

Councilmember Tonja Brice was the sole opposition on the council to the resolution.

“I voted no because I don’t think my opinion should interfere with what could be a benefit for someone who has a medical condition,” she said. “The state laws are set up fair and we don’t need to micromanage the laws.”

In 2008, 63 percent of Michigan voters approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, which went into effect Dec. 4, 2008.

According to the state regulation, patients may possess up to two and one-half (2.5) ounces of usable marijuana and 12 marijuana plants kept in an enclosed, locked facility. The 12 plants may be kept by the patient only if he or she has not specified a primary caregiver to cultivate the marijuana for him or her.

The law also allows for medical marijuana dispensaries, which is what the village council aims to keep out with the resolution.

In September, the state legislature approved several bills which enables more local control on medical marijuana businesses in communities, but as was noted at the village council meeting, and by Trent, the council could have taken no action and still been able to deny anyone applying to open a medical marijuana facility.

“The law provides an opt out if a local municipality has not created an ordinance and they are not required to do anything legislatively,” noted Trent. “But legal counsel suggested that we could take a position on that topic and pass this simple and concise resolution that establishes the village position that we are not interested in allowing these establishments in the boundaries of the village. We don’t need to in order to turn someone down. But the village council action allowed me to respond (to the individual interested in establishing a facility) in a short, matter of fact way to say, ‘Thanks for your interest, but the village will not allow creation of these within the village boundaries.’ They will move down the street and knock on someone else’s door. This provides a mechanism where we don’t have to sit down and entertain folks that are interested in something of this nature.”